


EPIC LOVE

by Delilah1990



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M, The Originals References, Vampire Diaries References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21568051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delilah1990/pseuds/Delilah1990
Summary: This fic follows season 2 of Legacies, with some season 1 flashbacks. Everything will basically be the same, the only difference, Hope and Landon never got together, instead Hope and Josie got together, so because of this there are some slight alterations. Now Josie still gets with Landon over the summer, but don't worry Hosie is end game.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman/Landon Kirby
Comments: 116
Kudos: 385





	1. I'LL NEVER GIVE UP HOPE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A world without Hope.

**I'LL NEVER GIVE UP HOPE**

**JOSIE**

I had just gotten back to my dorm room, I had been in the library doing merge research when I got a note from Lizzie, saying she was free to talk. I grab the astral stone and siphon magic from the wall, I lay down on my bed and activate the stone and soon my sister appears. We make small talk for a bit, then we get down to business. "Mom didn't tell you anything else about this thing?" I ask Lizzie, while looking down at the device I got from my father's office. "Only that it's called an Ascendant, and you and I made it with Aunt Bonnie when we were five." Lizzie answers.

"Does it have anything to do with the merge?"

"I don't know. She's being cagey about it. I..." Lizzie suddenly disappears, I let out a sigh and pick up the ascendant, I walk over to my dresser and take out the red box it was contained in. "Sorry, mom almost busted me."

"You know, we can Face chat like normal people." I state as I place the ascendant back in the red box.

"We aren't normal, and we need to keep our magic sharp over the summer."

"How is therapy going?"

"Fine. There is this sexy Swedish guy whose session is after me on Tuesdays. I think he's Swedish, maybe Polish. Anyway, it doesn't matter. He is hot and crazy, and the language barrier will make it impossible for us to communicate, just how I like it." I put the box away and turn back to Lizzie. 

"You should really work on that."

"I'll add it to the list of broken pieces to glue together. What about you? Any hot summer dates?"

"Dad's been, like, my life plus-one ever since he got the headmaster boot. I honestly think he's going through a midlife crisis."

"Gross. Hair growth?"

"Bushy."

"Lady prospects?"

"Lacking."

"Are you having fun at all? What about wee willie winkle?"

"Landon's been keeping to himself mostly. He's always with Raf."

"So ditch it all and come to Europe." I walk over to my bed and lay down next to Lizzie.

"I can't. I don't want to leave dad alone. I'm honestly kind of worried he's gonna go out and buy a tiny red car."

"I thought we were taking strides to be less codependent."

"We are, but there's codependent, and then there's leaving dad with his alarming mustache growth."

"Oh, gross."

"Yeah." Lizzie and I laugh.

**HOPE**

Darkness, I'm surrounded by darkness. "Hello?" I say out loud, but hear no response. " _Post tenebras spero lucem."_ An illumination ball appears and I take a look at my surrounds. Not sure what I expected the afterlife to look like, but I definitely expected more. I start walking, maybe if I walk long enough I'll find something. As I'm walking I start to think about her, Josie. The girl I love that I had to leave behind. Because of her I let my walls down, I started letting people in, and instead of believing the worst in people, I started to think about the best in people. And Josie, she slowly stepped out of her sisters shadow, became less codependent, hell I even became friends with Lizzie because of Josie.

I hope she recovered from her gunshot wound, and that she's happy now, even if it's without me. As I continue to think of Josie, memories begin to flood my mind, specifically the first time we actually had a conversation with one and other. Lizzie had just thrown her under the bus, and she was quite upset. When we arrived in town she chose to pick up trash with me instead of scrubbing off spray pain with her sister. We were quiet at first, and when we did begin to speak we were arguing, then I stabbed my own foot. After we shared a laugh we actually had a civilized conversation, performed a location spell together, unfortunately our bonding got cut short because Josie began feeling twin pain, which mean Lizzie was in danger.

When we arrived at the school we discovered that Lizzie had been attacked by a gargoyle, we fought against it alongside Alaric, and after we defeated it Josie immediately went to her sisters side. I had immediately missed her presence when she left, but I knew she had to check on her sister, so instead I pulled Alaric aside to have a much needed conversation.

**FLASHBACK**

_I was the last to arrive in the common room. Alaric had actually taken my advice and told the whole school what was going on. Usually after an assembly I head straight to my room, but I wanted to check on Josie first. I look around until I spot Josie on the couch, sitting with her sister, she's smiling and I can't help but stare. I continue to stare until Josie looks over at me, I give her a smile, don't want her to know I was staring at her this whole time, and to my surprise she smiles back. She says something to her sister and stands from the couch. She walks over to me and stops inches from me. "How are you? That was a close call today." Josie asks concerned. During our fight with the gargoyle, it had almost stabbed in with the knife Landon had stolen, Alaric stepped in between the gargoyle and I, knowing the gargoyle wouldn't harm him. "I'm ok. What about your sister, is she recovering well?" I ask. "Yeah, she stopped turning to stone the moment we defeated the gargoyle." I smile at that, then it's quiet between us. After a beat Josie finally speaks up._

_"So, gargoyle aside today was pretty interesting." I can't help but agree. "Yeah, we actually had a conversation after ten years of silence." I add. "That ten year silence was all you though." I nod my head in acknowledgement. "Yeah I know." It's silent between us again, but this time it's me who breaks it. "So, I have something to ask you." I start nervously. "Ok." Josie says as she waits for me to speak again. "We talked about poking today, and I know that some of the pokes from you and your sister's end, are because I take up most of your dads time." Josie is ashamed for a moment, she looks down at her feet for a moment, then back up at me. "Look we get it, I know it may not seem like we do, especially Lizzie, but we really do understand why his focus has been on you." Josie explains. "That doesn't make it fair." I state. "Maybe, but my dad' s not going to stop. I don't think I have to tell you, those training sessions are his way of keeping an eye on you and checking in." I chuckle at that. "Yeah, I know, your dad isn't as discreet about it as he thinks." Josie laughs at that. "Anyway, what I wanted to ask, your father keeps telling me I need to make friends, says the sessions will only stop if I make friends so..." Josie crosses her arms over her chest and smirks at me. "Hope Andrea Mikaelson, are you asking me to be your friend." I begin to play with my hands out of nervousness. "It's ok if you don't want to, I mean we've only just spoken after ten years, I just thought if we became friends, you and Lizzie would be able to spend more time with your dad..." Josie places a hand on my shoulder to stop my rambling. "Of course I'll be your friend Hope, I've wanted to be your friend for ten years." Josie suddenly turns towards the hallway and then back at me. "And as your friend, I should warn you, a certain curly hair boy and his brother are back."_

**END FLASHBACK**

My thoughts are interrupted by a giant portal opening in front of me, the ball drops to the ground and I find myself getting dragged towards the portal. I'm lifted up and inches from the portal, when I feel someone pull me from the portal. "Fancy meeting you here." I look up and see it was Clarke who pulled me from the portal. "Whoa." I get myself away form his hold. "What the hell are you doing here?" I ask.

"Saving your life, obviously."

"No. I'm supposed to be in-in peace. Okay, you are not peace. In fact, you're the opposite of peace. So, where are we?"

"Come on. Do the math."

"Ok, there are freaky cyclones and blinding lights and you're here. Oh, my god, we're in hell."

"No, such thing. I think. Go on. Take your best guess."

"No." A sense of dread starts to creep up on me, I turn and start walking away, unfortunately that doesn't stop Clarke from talking.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not gonna give you the satisfaction of telling me that I failed."

"You mean don't want to hear you're in the blackness." I stop and turn towards him. "That you've been consumed by Malivore." Clarke walks towards me and stops in front of me.

"No."

"You don't want me to point out that all your romantic heroics were for nada? That the big bad lives to see another day and all your friends have forgotten you ever existed."

"Stop talking." 

"If I were you, I'd make peace with that." I side step and walk away from Clarke again.

"Hope, wait, I can help you."

"I don't see how."

"I spend years inside this place." I stop and turn to Clarke again, he approaches me. "And while you cannonballing into the belly of Malivore didn't seem to destroy him, it has changed things, so stop being a dick to me and maybe I'll elaborate."

"Ok, I'm partially listening." Clarke smiles at that.

"Every creature consumed by my father used to exist here in total isolation, but here we are, talking to each other. Your presence here has somehow opened the cell doors. If it can do that, maybe there's a way for us to escape. So, what do you say? Partners?"

"Pass." I walk away again, there was no way in hell I would work with Clarke.

"You are such a child. No wonder you failed."

"Says the guy whose entire life has been about failing daddy. I don't trust you, ok? And I never will. You're the one who brought me into this mess."

"If you'd just let me meat-puppet my loser little brother, then we wouldn't even be in..." I stop and turn around.

" _Imitanto pupulis._ "

"Not this again." I put my hand over my mouth and Clarke mimics me.

"Your old friend, the mimic spell." I begin to walk towards him, and at the same time he walks towards me. "You will do anything I intend you to do." We stop just inches from each other. "And it is my intention that this is the last conversation we will ever have. If I were you, I'd make with peace that." With those words I turn around, and Clarke turns opposite of me. As I start to walk away Clarke does so as well, this should prevent me from ever seeing him again.

**JOSIE**

Dad and I are in town, he's going on about the possibility of Malivore consuming someone before it was destroyed. The whole time he's talking, all I can think about is that this isn't what I want to talk about. The night my father told my sister and I about the merge, that was the last time we ever talked about it. Every time we bring up the merge our parents tell us not to worry about it, that their working on it, and every time we bring up the ascendant there's this...fear in their eyes, they immediately shut down.

"I mean, there were at least two other people with Landon the night Malivore was destroyed. They left fibers, footprints, hair. I just don't know who they were." My dad explains.

"Isn't that the point? If somebody went into the Malivore pit, they'd be erased from our memories."

"Yeah, well, that's what's haunting me."

"Who have we forgotten?"

"It couldn't have been anybody we've known. There'd be keepsakes, photos, an empty bed somewhere."

"Well, whoever they were, they were important to somebody." Just as I say that a pang of heartache hits me, but I don't process it because I need to find out more about the ascendant, and if it has anything to do with the merge. "So, dad, I was actually hoping we could talk about the ascendant, what it has to do with the merge..."

"Wait, is that Landon right there?" I look over and sure enough Landon is sitting outside the Mystic Grill, head in one of few books, he quickly heads towards him. I let out a sigh, of course he would continue to dodge my question. My father is already seated next to Landon, I pull out a chair and sit next to my dad. 

"I've had my head buried in books for weeks, nothing on how to turn a wolf back into a human. I keep hitting dead end after dead end." Landon says frustrated.

"Join the club." I turn and look at my dad.

"Hey."

"Landon, can you ask my dad why he won't give me answers to my very simple questions on how my sister and I can survive past the age of 22?"

"That's because your dad doesn't have any answers he's able to give you. That's why, sweetheart."

"Able to, or willing?"

"Look, there is nothing about the ascendant you need to know."

"Then why do you flinch every time I bring it up."

"Because it has nothing to do with the merge, Josette, so let's drop it, ok?"

"I'm gonna head back to campus." Landon says uncomfortably.

"Whoa, what about the fireworks?" I ask.

"Oh, I'm worried they might scare Raf. You know, I don't want him to be alone."

"I'll come with you. I'm suddenly not in the mood to celebrate anything, much less independence."

**Hope**

** FLASHBACK **

_A few days after Josie and I officially became friends, we had another school assembly, Alaric was explaining how he wanted there to be an honor council, judging from the way he was looking at his daughters, it was their idea. After the assembly I was informed that I would be running tests on Landon to determine wither or not he was supernatural. I had managed to catch up with Alaric before he left, he had just got done speaking with Raf, when I began to protest, though I didn't get to protest long, because Josie showed up asking to speak with her father for a moment. Shortly after their conversation Alaric told me that I wouldn't have to test Landon, that Josie would be doing it instead. A part of me was glad, but another part of me was curious as to why Josie wanted to be the one to test Landon, which is how I found myself in Alaric's office._

_"So, are you going to be testing my blood to determine if I'm supernatural?" Landon asks as I walk in. Both he and Josie turn to look at me. "Hey Hope, what's up?" Josie asks. "Nothing, just curious is all." Josie nods her head in acknowledgement, then turns back to Landon, he continues to stare a me until Josie clears her throat. "Sorry." Landon apologizes, I roll my eyes at his apology. "These were actually set up before I got here, they won't be necessary though." Josie stated, and I looked at her confused. Blood analysis was a typical testing tool to determine if a person was supernatural, and if they were, what kind of supernatural. "So, then how are we going to test me?" Landon asks, and Josie step closer to him. "I'm going to see if I can siphon magic from you, if I can that means you're a supernatural and you can stay here." Josie answered. I was still a bit confused, even if she could siphon magic from him, that still wouldn't be enough to determine what kind of supernatural he was. "Siphon? What exactly does that mean?" Landon asks confused. "Right, you're totally new to all this. So, there are two types of witches, there are witches that are born with magic, like Hope over there." Josie gestures towards me, Landon turns to look at me, then turns back to Josie. "Then there are witches born without magic, siphons, like me. Because I don't have magic of my own I have to absorb it from somewhere else, someone else." Josie explains. "So, just to clarify, if you can siphon magic from me, it proves I'm supernatural, and I'll be able to stay at this school?" Landon clarifies. "I'll let my father know personally." Josie promises. "Let's do this then." Josie steps up to Landon and holds her hand out, Landon is about to take her hand but hesitates. "Is this gonna hurt?" Landon asks, I shake my head in annoyance. "Not unless I want it to." Josie answers. Landon takes a deep breath and takes Josie's hand. At first nothing happens, then the familiar red glow appears. "Whoa, that kinda tickles. Wait a minute, is it working, are you siphoning from me?" Josie nods her head yes. Landon has the biggest smile I've ever seen, Josie let's go of his hand and Landon runs his hands through his fingers. "I can't believe it, I get to stay." Landon let's out a breath and bends down, placing his hands on his knees, only to straighten up immediately. "I have to tell Raf, he'll want to know how the test went." Landon turns to Josie. "Thank you so much, you just made my day." Landon then turns and leaves Alaric's office._

_"While I appreciate you doing this in my place, why did you want to do it, and why didn't you test his blood. Just because you were able to siphon from him doesn't mean you can determine which supernatural species he is." I state, and Josie gives me a look that says otherwise. "Right?" I ask, but Josie is quiet. "Josie, why did you administer Landon's test?" I ask. Josie takes a deep breath before she speaks. "I knew he was a supernatural since the first day he got here." Josie quickly says, I look at her shocked. "What? How? And why didn't you say anything?" I question. "I didn't say anything because at the time I wasn't sure." She slowly makes her way towards me until she is standing in front of me. "As a siphon, since I don't have magic of my own, I'm able to sense magic better than any other witch, and since I grew up surrounded by vampires, werewolves, and witches, I learned to sense their unique magical signature. I know what their magic feels like, and when Landon first got here, the magic I sensed from him was different, I had never sensed magic like that, so I dismissed it. It wasn't until he came back, and I sensed it again that I knew I couldn't ignore it. So, when assembly ended I immediately went to talk to my dad, I explained everything to him, and he asked me to siphon from Landon to see if I could get a better read of what he is." Josie explained. "And?" I ask. "Whatever he is, he's not a vampire, werewolf, or witch. And if he's not any of those, I don't think we'll be able to test what he is." I lean back against a piece of furniture and let out a breath. "Well, first off, you are amazing. I had no idea you could sense magic like that." Josie simply shrugs off the compliment. "Second, whatever Landon is, it must have something to do with why he took the knife, why mythical monsters are suddenly appearing out of nowhere." I comment. "Maybe." Suddenly Josie get's quiet. "Everything ok?" I ask concerned. "Yeah, just Lizzie. She's anxious, I need to go. I told her I'd help her with her campaign as soon as I was finished here." Josie turns and leaves. "I'll see you later." I say. "Later." Josie says over her shoulder. As soon as she leaves Alaric's office I'm hit with a sudden realization. If she's able to sense magic, and separate the magic of each supernatural, that means she must have known what I was since the beginning._

**END FLASHBACK**

"Hope, we can work this out." Damn Clarke, he still hasn't walked far enough away from me yet. "Don't do this to me." I continue to ignore him, then suddenly another portal appears, like the last time I'm being dragged. "Listen to me, whatever this is, it's gonna destroy you. I'll rip you apart. Please break the spell so I can help you." The last thing I want to do is break the spell, but I'm not sure what will happen to me, where I'll go if I don't. "Hope!" I reverse the spell, and in no time Clarke is by my side, as soon as he makes contact with me the portal disappears. "You're welcome." I'm about to say something snarky when I hear something in the distance, it must be the monsters Clarke mentioned before, he said they were out of they're cages. "Oh crap." I state realizing monsters on are the loose. "Not exactly what I was expecting." Then Clarke hears the same thing. "Oh crap, run."

**JOSIE**

It's nighttime, and Landon and I are sitting at the dock waiting the fireworks to kick off, I had managed to change his mind about the fireworks. We say nothing to each other for a while, until Landon speaks up. "So, what's the deal with this whole merge thing." I turn to him. "Sorry, I know it's none of my business, it's just I've seen you in the library a few times doing research on it, and then today at the Mystic Grill...you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, like I said it's not my business." Landon quickly shuts up. I look at him for a moment, then back to the sky. "Last year Lizzie and I found out we're from a very old coven called the Gemini Coven." Landon chuckles at that. "Of course your coven would be named after the twin constellation." When Landon looks at me he's smile quickly disappears at my serious face. "Sorry...continue." I don't say anything at first, then I continue. "As you pointed out, the coven was known for it's twins, apparently though, twins of the Gemini coven are cursed. On their twenty-second birthday the twins merge, one twin, the stronger twin absorbs the magic and personality of the weaker twin, until that twin dies." Landon is shocked when he hears this. "That's...that's brutal." I nod my head in acknowledgement. "So, how does that ascendant thingy play into the merge?" Landon asks. "I don't know, that's what Lizzie and I have been trying to figure out, but neither of our parents will tell us. They keep insisting it has nothing to do with the merge, but I think it does." I say. "Well, hey, you guys still have six years right? I'm sure your parents will find a way out of it in no time." Landon says trying to comfort me, but it doesn't work. "Six years isn't that long. Time flies Landon, before Lizzie and I know it we'll be twenty-two, and if our parents haven't found a solution by then, they'll lose both of us." Landon looks at me confused. "I thought you said the merge only kills one twin?" He asks. "If you and Raf had to merge, do you think either of you could live with yourselves knowing you killed the other?" I ask, and Landon shake his head no. "Neither will Lizzie and I." I say. 

It gets quiet again, and once again it's Landon who breaks the silence. "There's more going on with you than just this merge thing though, isn't there." I look down before answering. "I've been feeling...heartbroken? But I have no idea why." I say as I look back up at him. "Maybe your not over Penelope yet?" Landon questions. "No, I moved on from her, this...this is something else, I just don't know what. Every time I allow myself to feel that, I break down into tears, and it takes a while for me to stop crying. So, I've been distracting myself from feeling that way by doing all this research, but that feeling is always on the surface, just waiting to come back out." Landon thinks about everything I said. "Maybe it's time for a new tactic." Landon suggests. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Instead of worrying about the merge, instead of feeling heartbroken, you should try living a little." Landon answers. "And how should I go about that?" Just as I ask that, the sound of fireworks fills the air, and Landon gestures towards the fireworks in the sky. "Enjoying the fireworks is a start." I smile at him and we both look up to see the firework show.

After that night Landon and I began to spend more time together. From playing music, to writing songs together, playing chess, watching him cook for Raf, he even invited me to movie nights. When I spoke to my sister and told her all this she called us a montage, even told me Landon has me speaking nerd. I had to admit it was nice not having to think about the merge, or the sudden heartbreak, but despite all this, something still feels off. I just can't put my finger on it. 

**Hope**

** FLASHBACK **

_Josie is waiting by the lake when I arrive. "Hey, what was so urgent?" Josie asks, but I ignore it. I show her a glass orb, she looks at it curiously for a moment, then looks back at me. "What is that?" She asks. "I'll show you. What's your name?" Josie looks at me questionably, I raise my eyebrow in response. Josette Saltzman, but I prefer Josie." She responds, and the glass orb glows bright blue and I gesture towards it. "See, that's the truth. Now, lie. What's your favorite food?" Josie thinks about it for a minute before responding. "Hamburgers." We both look at the orb, which is now glowing bright red. "So, it's basically a supernatural lie detector." I give Josie a fake smile. "Yeah." Josie seems confused by this. "Ok, why do you need it?" She asks, still confused. "Because I have questions, and I don't trust you to answer them honestly." I answer. "Ok, I thought we were in a good place friendship wise, clearly I was wrong." I dismiss what she just said and ask my question._

_"Earlier you said knew the magical signatures of vampires, werewolves, and witches." Josie nods in acknowledgement. "Yeah." "Does that mean you knew about me, knew what I was since the beginning? Is that why your sister and you always poked? Because you thought I was a freak?!" Josie raises her hands and takes a step back. "Whoa, whoa." Josie seems surprised by my questions, but I don't care about that. "First off, I've never thought you were a freak, second, the reason we were never friends is because you didn't want to be friends." The orb glows blue. "Lizzie and I tried to be friends with you, but you wanted nothing to do with us." The orb continues to glow blue, and my anger subsides. "I can't believe you called me out here just to interrogate me." Josie says, now she's the one whose angry. "If we're done here, I have to go and try to comfort my sister." Josie begins to walk off. "Why what happened?" I ask. "She didn't get the vote." She says as she continues to walk away from me. I realize then that I screwed up, bad._

**END FLASHBACK**

"Where'd you wonder off to?" I turn to Clarke for a moment, then continue to look forward.

"How long do you think we've been here?" I ask.

"Hard to say. A week, a month, a year. What difference does it make." We suddenly hear a noise in the distance, man this place is creepy. "What was that?"

"Gargoyle, I think. I killed one once, with my friends. You know, my teenage friends. So, why is a supervillain like you scared?"

"I'm not a villain. I never have been." I shake my head in disbelief. "I'm just a kid who's afraid of his father and will do anything to get away from him. My entire life's been about figuring out how, and failing miserably. I turn to look at him, he actually seems to be telling the truth.

" _Papilio lux_ ** _._** "

"You think that's our ticket out?"

"No, it's a comfort spell. It's supposed to provide peace of mind." Just as I say that, a butterfly appears, and disappears just as quickly.

"Thank you." Another portal appears, I feel Clarke grab my arm, as soon as he does so that portal disappears again. That's strange.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do, what?" We hear the noise again, but this time it's much closer, it sounds like it's more than one monster. "Oh crap."

" _Invisique._ " The monsters begin to close in on us.

"Meaning?"

"I'm invisible to them."

"You're invisible, what about me?" The monsters surround us. Not gonna lie, I am definitely scared. It seems like an eternity before they past us. "Guess we're partners after all."

"I didn't say that."

"But you just saved my life." 

"Because you're keeping things from me, and I want to know why. _Veritas temus._ "

"Would you stoop with the magic already, it's not fair."

"Think before you answer. Is it unfair, or do you deserve it?"

"Totally deserve it." Clarke is surprised by his own answer. "What? Wh-why-why did I just say that?"

"Because I cast a truth spell. You can only answer honestly. Now, how does that make you feel?"

"Like this isn't gonna end well for me."

**JOSIE**

Landon had called me earlier, it sounded urgent, I arrived at the spot where Landon was keeping Rafael, when I got there Landon was all over the place, freaking out. "I bring him dinner ever day at 5:00, I mean, sometimes he doesn't come out of the woods, but he's always here." Landon says as he looks around.

"Well, that doesn't mean something happened, Raf's a wolf, it's not like he wears a watch."

"But everyday, Josie, for months, and it's been three days, and maybe I'm just assuming the worst, but the worst is usually what happens, and it's bad enough that he's stuck as a wolf, but if-if he's lost , he got no one. I can't let him be alone."

"Landon." Landon continues to look around and freak out. I grab his arm and turn him around to face me. I put my hand on his chest, like I did with Raf last year to calm him down. "It's gonna be ok, we're gonna fine him. I'll do a locator spell, and we're gonna track his movements ok? I'm gonna help you." I place my other hand on his cheek, and he pulls me into a hug, I hug him back. 

** HOPE **

"This entire time, I've been working on a theory, you know, trying to figure out why the vortex comes, and then I realized, it's always after I do magic. Am I getting warm?" I ask.

"Scalding." Clarke replies.

"You know, it makes a lot of sense when you thing about it. I thought that I was wrong about me being the only one who could destroy him, but I think my actual mistake was that I wasn't a fully activated tribrid when I dove into that pit. I've never died, so my vampire side hasn't been activated yet, and what I'm realizing now is that Malivore doesn't want me here. I'm toxic to him. Finish that sentence please?"

"Malivore's trying to expel you. To send you back from where you came, and every time he tries-I grab hold of you to try to get expelled with you, but as much as my father wants you to leave, he wants to keep torturing me here even more."

"Then it's official, all we have to do is wait."

"For what?" Just then a portal opens.

"That's my ride."

"Hope, you can't leave me here!"

"I can't leave with you, ok?" I have to get back to my friends, I have to get back to Josie. "

"I can't lie right? So, you know I'm telling the truth when I say that if you help me go back too, you'll never see me again, I promise."

"I'm sorry, but do you understand why I can't take that risk?"

"Yeah, I would do the same thing if I were you." Clarke gets annoyed with himself. "God!"

"Good luck Clarke."

"Screw you Hope!" I allow the portal to take me, leaving Clarke behind.

**JOSIE**

I'm sitting cross legged, laying out a map in front of me. "Think of my blood like the red line crossing the map in Raiders of the Lost Ark. It'll flow wherever it senses Raf, and it'll show us the path." I explain as get a needle to prick my finger. "Thank you for this." Landon says, and I look up and smile at him. "It's honestly child's play, it's how I used to cheat at hide-and-go-seek. I prick my finger and let the blood drip on the map. "And just give it a second."

"Are you happy?" I look up at Landon's question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, since we started hanging out, until Raf went missing I think I was finally starting to be happy. It's honestly been a while since I felt that way."

"I'm definitely happy-ish, I just don't know if I can be fully happy until I know that Lizzie and I are gonna survive past the merge."

"Yeah, look, I don't want to cause problems, but I think that your dad is lying to you about the ascendant."

"How do you know?"

"When you lie as much as I used to, you develop a gut feeling, I just know."

To say I was mad was an understatement. When Landon confirmed what I had already suspected, I excused myself and did another locator spell to look for my dad. He was at the bar, he's been going there a lot since he got the boot. I made my way over there, as soon as I got there it wasn't hard to spot my dad. He was seated at the bar, with the evidence he collected from Triad in front of him, speaking to a...is my dad actually speaking to another woman. Any other day I would have waited until later to speak with my dad, but this couldn't wait.

"You're a liar." My dad turned around

"You can't be in here." My dad said.

"She can't be in here." The bartender stated.

"I'm aware." My dad stood up and approached me. "What's going on?"

"All summer I've been worried about you. 'Got to take care of dad, make sure that he doesn't fall into a depression or by a motorcycle.' I gave up my summer with mom to make sure that you wouldn't be alone, and this entire time you've been lying to me about the ascendant? How could you?" My dad turns around, pays his tab and gather's the evidence, he leads me outside and places his evidence in his car.

"Look you're right I haven't been honest with you, but I wasn't lying when I told you the ascendant has nothing to due with the merge."

"But it does have something to do with us." My dad get's quiet. "Look, we don't know why, but it seems familiar to Lizzie and I, so please, just tell me about it." My dad lets out a sigh.

"Do you remember when your mom and I sat you girls down, told you that Caroline wasn't technically your mother, that your biological mother died, and you and your sister were transferred from your biological mother, to Caroline, and she became your mother."

"Yeah, that was the first time you talked about Jo, it was the first time Lizzie and I saw your wedding photo. You said I looked just like her." I couldn't help but smile at the memory, or the memory of meeting Jo.

"What I didn't tell you was she died on our wedding day, during her vows." My father's expression turns sad, tears begin to fill in his eyes. He places his hands on my shoulders and rubs them up and down. "She was killed by her twin brother, Kai. Your uncle Damon killed him later on, but he came back to life a five years later. It was a thing at the time, for people to return from the dead, anyway when he came back, instead of killing him again, we made his greatest fear a reality. The coven you and your sister come from, was known for two things. Cloaking spells, and creating prison worlds."

"Prison Worlds?"

"It's an alternate plane of existence, the ascendant is a lock to that prison world, you can't get in or out without it. You and your sister, with the help of Bonnie, created the prison world Kai's in now."

"So, the reason it looks familiar is because we made it?"

"Yes." 

"Why have you never told us about him?" 

"Because Jo and Kai weren't like you and Lizzie. Kai wanted to merge, he wanted power, even killed his siblings to get it." I'm about to question him when he raises his hand. "Another time, for now all you need to know is, the ascendant is a lock into a prison world that is currently holding Kai"

"One more question." Dad nods his head at me. "You said he and Jo were twins, which means he knows about the merge..."

"He does, he even survived it." I look at him confused. "Kai is a long story, the point is, he's a last resort Josie. He's extremely dangerous, your mom and I don't want to involve him unless we have to." I let out a sigh.

"Ok." I siphon some magic from my father's watch, he looks at me confused. I hold my hand out and summon the ascendant. "Please, no more secrets, especially if it has to do with Lizzie and I. We may still be young, but we're not kids anymore."

"Ok." I hand him the ascendant.

"I'm sorry." He looks up at me. "That must have been horrible for you."

"It was the worst day of my life, but when your sister and you were born, I saw a little bit of her in you, so in a way she's not really dead." I smile at my dad and give him a hug. I then make my way back to the school and inform Lizzie to contact me as soon as she gets a chance. She astral projects herself to our room shortly after.

"Dad told me everything. The ascendant is a lock to a prison world. It's a long story, but we have an uncle that is trapped down there, and he is the only other living member of our lunatic family, and he's been through the merge, so he's got to have answers." 

"Well, then let's go the minute I get back." Lizzie stands from where's she's been sitting.

"Lizzie, I gave the ascendant back to dad." 

"You what? Why?"

"This guy that's trapped down there, killed Jo, on her wedding day with dad. I mean, this guy murdered his twin. Dad said it's a last resort." I turn and sit down, Lizzie follows. "So, in the meantime you should enjoy your speed trains and hang out with hot Swedish guys and have your summer fun."

"Listen, I'm in therapy three hours a day. When I'm not with a shrink, I'm with a doctor, and when I'm not with a doctor, I'm with a healer. I'm doing everything I can to get better, like, really better...I should have told you that. I don't know why I didn't, but promise me you will make the most of the rest of this summer, ok?

"I promise." 

**HOPE**

The gates to Salvatore open and a car exits, as soon as the headlights shine on my face, the car comes to a sudden stop. The gates close, and Dorian steps out of his car. "I didn't see you, are you ok?" Dorian asks concerned. "Yeah, Dorian, I'm ok." I reply. "Glad to hear it, but how did you know my name?" Ouch, I forgot no one remembers me, that's going to make things difficult. "Your parking pass." I gesture towards the parking pass hanging from his rearview mirror. He turns to look at it, then back to me. "Always hated that picture. What brings you here tonight?" Josie. "A girl." I say. "Well, we're all locked up in there. Everyone's gone for the summer." Not everyone. "Ok, thanks. Uh, sorry to bother you." I turn around to walk away. Dorian gets in his car and drives off, I turn back around and enter the gate code, luckily that hasn't changed. As soon as the gates open I pass through them, I know she won't remember me, but I have to see her, I have to tell her, if I can get her to believe me, I know she'll help me to regain everyone's memories of me. Once everyone remembers me, things can go back to the way they were, and we can face Malivore together. 

** JOSIE **

After my talk with Lizzie I went to find Landon, tonight was movie night, but when I arrived he was already sitting watching a movie. "You started without me." I say as I sit next to him. "Your map worked. He's right here." He says as he hand me the map. "What's the problem?" I ask. "He was, but then when I came out here to find him, that appeared. Raf's not missing, he just doesn't want to be here anymore. I knew this going in. I mean, uh, the longer he's a wolf, the less human he'll be, and at what point does a wolf no longer need a human best friend, and movie nights?" Landon asks as he stands. I place the map down and stand in front of Landon. "Maybe he moved on, cause he saw that you have someone who makes you happy." Landon places his hand on my cheek, and rubs the pad of his thumb over it, he then leans in and kisses me, it's a short kiss, but then I lean towards him to kiss him, the both of us ignoring the movie. 

** HOPE **

I find Josie, but she's not alone, she with...Landon? I guess they became friends while I was away. As I approach, I notice Josie and Landon are standing close together, so I stop. They talk, and then Landon kisses Josie, and it wouldn't be so upsetting, if she didn't kiss him back. The tears fall from my face, I knew things would be different, but Josie and Landon? I turn around and walk away, I can't look anymore. I know I shouldn't be this upset, she doesn't know I exist, and besides this is want I wanted. I wanted her to be happy, to move on. Although in all fairness, at the time I thought I was gonna die. I have no idea what to do now, Josie's moved on. I finally stop and look to see where I'm at, I'm at the bus stop. Must be fate.

I sit on the bench, maybe I could go back home to New Orleans. My family wouldn't recognize me, but I didn't tell them to get rid of any evidence of my existence, so it wouldn't be hard to explain who I am to them. Freya could help me to regain everyone's memories, maybe then things will go back to the way they were. I sit back on the bench, as I'm contemplating what to do, thoughts of Josie creep into mind.

**FLASHBACK**

_I find Josie sitting alone by the docks, I sit down next to her and join her. She looks at me briefly then turns back and looks at the water. "I hear congratulations are in order." I say, Josie doesn't say anything back, she just remains quiet. I place the orb in between us, Josie looks down at it, then back up at me. "Another interrogation?" She questions. "No, an apology, this is just so you know I mean it." Josie turns to face me completely. "I'm sorry, I never should have bombarded you like that, it wasn't right, especially since everything you said about me was true." I stop, and we both look down to see the orb turn blue. Josie looks back up at me. "Continue." I take a deep breath. "For a while it was just my mother and I, then I was reunited with my family, but even then I felt a bit lonely because while I had my family, I still didn't have any friends. Then I came to this school, and I wanted nothing more than to make friends, but then I realized something." I stop. "What?" Josie asks. "I'd be lying to them, I'd never be able to tell them who I really was, and I didn't want to do that, I didn't want to have to lie to my friends, so instead I just kept everyone at a distance. And then when my parents died I just shut everyone out completely, because if I didn't have anybody, then nobody would be able to leave me again." We look down at the orb, it's glowing blue. "_

_I'm sorry." I shake my head. "_

_It's not your fault."_

_"Still, you never should have felt that way."_

_"_ _Well, that's all in the past, and if I haven't screwed up too badly, I have a friend now." Josie smiles at me._

_"_ _It'd take more than bombarding me with questions to get rid of me."_

_"So, what are you doing out here, shouldn't you be celebrating?" I ask._

_"I would, but I can't celebrate when I feel bad." Josie says._

_"What do you have to feel bad about?"_

_"Lizzie really wanted this, but Penelope interfered and got the witches to vote for me instead of Lizzie, she wasn't even runner up."_

_"Ok, first off." I grab both Josie's hands. "Lizzie should be happy for you, so she didn't get elected, but you did and your her sister, she should be happy for you." Josie gives me a small smile. "Second, you would be better at it, and I think you know it."_

_"Penelope said something similar."_

_"Besides, even if your sister had won, you know you'd be doing all the work anyway." Josie laughs at that._ _"So, take the win, be happy." Josie looks down at the orb, she picks it up and hands it to me. I give her a questioning look._

_"You asked me something earlier, I never answered."_

_"Ok, but I don't need this to know you're telling the truth."_

_"It's ok, I want you to."_

_"Ok? Uh, which question didn't you answer?"_

_"If I always knew about you."_

_"Alright, did you know about me when I first came to this school."_

_"I did sense you were different, but I didn't know how different." The orb glows blue. "At the time I thought it meant you were special, which is why Lizzie and I wanted to be friends with you in the first place, but we both know how that turned out." The orb continues to glow blue._

_"You thought I was special?" I ask surprised._

_"Yes." The orb is still glowing blue. "We should get going." Josie stands. "It's almost curfew." Josie begins to walk towards the school. I stand up._

_"Wait." Josie stops and turns around. "Do yo still think I'm special?" Josie simply smiles at me and continues to walk towards the school. "That's not an answer Josie." I say as I make my way towards her._

_ **END FLASHBACK** _

That was the first time since my father had died that anyone made me feel special, I don't think there's anyone else that could make me feel like that. I suddenly hear the bus approach, I stand and wait for it to stop. As I'm waiting the bus suddenly flips over, I walk closer to get a better look, when I do I see a monster. I guess I wasn't the only one who made it out of Malivore. "Oh crap."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Should I continue? Let me know in the comments.


	2. THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope contemplates staying or going while hunting a monster at Mystic Falls High.

**THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT**

**HOPE**

Shortly after the monster flipped the bus over, I began fighting the monster, I had managed to injure it, but when I did and ran away, now instead of heading to New Orleans like I planned, I'm tracking a monster down in the woods. I come across a fallen tree trunk, as I get closer I noticed purple blood on it, I bend down and smell the blood. I quickly turn away in disgust, it was definitely monster blood. I continue on until I reach the end of the woods and spot Mystic Fall High School. Guess I'm going to school today. I walk up to the school and enter it, looks like the final bell for classes rang, the hallway is deserted. I look around until I spot drops of blood by the janitor's closet, I look around to make sure no one is around. " _Dissera portus._ " The door flings open, but it's empty inside. "Aren't you a little short for a janitor?" I turn to see a boy about my age standing next to me.

"It's nice to know I'm not the only one trying to hide out on the first day of school." The boy says.

"Oh, no, I-I wasn't hiding. I-I was, um, uh I was looking for the principal's office." I say.

"Well, you're in luck. I'm new too, but I'm pretty sure that's him right behind you." I turn around and see Alaric.

"Hi." He says. What is he doing here? Why isn't he at Salvatore? "I'm principal Saltzman. Who are you?" Once again ouch.

**JOSIE**

I had just gotten out of the shower, and was heading back to my room. On the way I couldn't help but think about the kiss Landon and I shared. A part of me liked kissing Landon, we had been getting closer over the summer, so it was no surprise when we kissed, but at the same time it felt...wrong, like by kissing him I was cheating on someone, but I've been single since Penelope broke up with me. So, why do I feel this way? As I approach my room I'm greeted by the sight of my sister doing...a yoga pose?

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Warrior 2." Lizzie answers.

"I thought you said yoga was karate for lazy people."

"I did, but spending the summer with mom opened my eyes to all kinds of new experiences." Lizzie straightens up and turns towards me. Plus, since using that ascendant thingy is off the table, we agreed we'd stop worrying about all that future merge crap, right?"

"Right."

"So, I'm all about the present. I have decided to be permanently open to any opportunity that comes my way. This is my semester of yes, and I am available for literally anything." Oh, she is going to regret that. I hope MG doesn't find out.

After my conversation with my sister I get ready for school. Everyone is out and about, putting up 'Welcome back Stallions' catching up with old friends. One of the witches gets my attention and asks me if I know anything about the new headmaster. I had completely forgotten the new headmaster was arriving today. As I'm answering her question I sense Landon's magic, he's magic stands out from everyone else's. When I turn to look at him I notice one of the other witches use magic to make the words 'hi...' appear and walks away. I excuse myself the conversation and walk up to Landon, he meets me halfway.

"So, not only are you popular now, you have an admirer." I say.

"Yeah, I should probably tell her I'm unavailable." Landon says, I can't help but smile at that.

"Do you know where your classes are?"

"Yes."

"Good, I'll see you at assembly then."

"Yeah." As I'm about to head to class Landon steps up, it looks like he was about to hug me.

"Oh, sorry."

"It's ok. So?" Landon extends he's arms out and I give him a hug. As I'm hugging him I get that feeling again, that this is wrong, that by doing this I'm somehow hurting somebody.

After that awkward hug and welcoming a few students back to the school, an announcement was made for all the students to gather in the assembly room. As soon as I walked in Lizzie waved me down, Landon was sitting by my sister, when he noticed Lizzie waving me down, he turned around and waved me over as well. I sat down in between my sister and Landon. I looked up at the podium and saw, who I assumed to be, the new headmaster. He was wearing a fancy suit and he had a cane as well. I honestly didn't know what to think of him. As soon as all the students gathered and sat down, the headmaster looked to us and began his speech. "This school has survived a difficult year. There were monsters and Triad, and frankly the headmaster you trusted to keep you safe ended up putting you in more danger." I hear the students muttering, I really hope he doesn't say anything else about my dad. "But this year will be different. It's high time this place ran with a little discipline and order. I expect you to work harder than ever before. To be rigorous, to push yourselves, to be perfect." Great, what was my mom thinking when she hired this guy. "Because I believe everyone of you is extraordinary." Ok, I that is not the direction I thought he was going in. I look at Lizzie, she was thinking the same thing. "The students in this room have the power to literally change the world. To whom much is given, much is required, and I am requiring of you to be better than humans ever could." Someone is a little high strung, though with the suite he's wearing I shouldn't be surprised. "Because the day is coming when we will step out of the shadows, when you will no longer hide yourselves. Because the future is supernatural." He let's go of his cane and a wave of magic disperses, everyone is excited, his cane is still standing on it's own. "To that end, I would like to award our Salvatore Medal of Freedom to the student who single-handedly defeated Malivore, Mr. Landon Kirby." Landon seems surprised by this, and nervous? What does he have to be nervous about. He walks up to the headmaster and accepts the medal, he doesn't seem very happy about it, wonder why.

**HOPE**

"You are a blank slate Miss Hope Marshall." And here we go. "Parents Tom and Kathleen. No transcripts from your last school."

"I think they must've just gotten packed away or something. Like I said, we move around a lot."

"Mm-hmm. Well, if you are gonna be here in Mystic Falls, you have to go to school."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm here, right?" The school bell rings. "Can I go now?" I stand up and turn to leave.

"You know I, uh." I stop and turn back to Alaric while he clears his throat. "I've got two daughters, and I know when they're not telling me something. So, you know, if there's, uh, anything going wrong at home, you know, if you're in any trouble and you need to talk, just know I'm here to help, ok?"

"I'm fine." I turn around and rush out of there. I go to the nearest bathroom and let the tears fall. I wish I could talk to him, I wish I could ask for his help, but even if I did, there'd be no point. He doesn't remember me, even if I told him everything and he believed me, he'd want me to stay, and go back to the Salvatore school, where Josie is, and until she remembers me I can't go back, not yet. I hear the bathroom door open, I look up at the mirror and see a girl.

"Boy problems?"

"Uh, yeah. He's kinda a troll."

"Oh my god, say no more. We'll fix you up and make him jealous. I have an extra shirt in my locker, and I've got hair spray, lip gloss, and new eyeliner. Maya." I look at Maya, surprised by her kindness.

"Hope, thank you. Weird question. Um, by any chance, have you noticed a terrible smell coming from somewhere inside the school?"

"I think everyone has."

After Maya lent me her spare shirt and jacket I went over to the boys locker room, I took a sniff and immediately regretted it. "Teenage boys plus monster, that's a special combo." I look around when I feel a hand on my shoulder, I grab the hand and flip whoever it was over, I'm about to throw a punch when Alaric puts his hands up.

"Ok, seriously, who are you?" I help him stand and he grunts when I do so. "Ah, ok."

"I'm a vampire hunter, and I-I came across a creature." I lie.

"What kind of creature?"

"A creature that's big enough to flip over an empty bus. It's green, it's ugly and it smells absolutely terrible, so I'm going with a troll? And it's hiding somewhere inside the school."

"Uh-huh. And how do you know that?"

"Because I wounded it. It's nocturnal, so it's hides out during the day. I found a legend that says I just have to pierce it through the heart."

"Listen, you're not doing anything, ok. You're just a kid. If there's a monster in my school, I'm gonna take care of it."

"No offense, but, um, I've been trying to kill this thing for over a week, and nothing's worked."

"If your are a vampire hunter, then I'm sure you've heard of Alaric Saltzman."

"Yeah."

"I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, you're very famous around here, but you're gonna need my help."

"I have put kids in danger before." I'm confused by this, what does he mean he's put kids in danger before? All he ever did was try to protect us. "And I'm not gonna make that mistake again." The school bell rings, I hear people cheering, and boys entering the locker room, Alaric clears his throat. "Yes, of course, we'd love to have you try out for the team. All are welcome, but certainly, in the, uh, meantime just go to class and stay there." Alaric whispers the last part and turns and leaves. I'm about to leave as well when the boy from earlier talks to me.

"So, you going out for kicker, or are you just stalking me?" I chuckle at that.

"Stalking you? I think it's pretty clear who's stalking who here. Besides, if I went out, it'd be for QB1." I hear the boys hollering as I walk out of the locker room.

**JOSIE**

"How does the existence of dragons, dryads, and phoenixes change what we know about magical biology? It could be the discovery of a lifetime." Vardemus lectures.

"I don't know about biology, but it does prove we were never the only supernaturals to ever exist. That these mythical creatures possibly existed well before vampires, werewolves, and witches ever did." I reply.

"That's an excellent point Miss Saltzman." Vardemus continues to lecture, and I notice Landon smiling at me, I smile back until I look down at his notebook. A magical drawing appears of Landon with wings, we both look up and know it's from the witch from earlier.

"I should probably talk to her." Landon says.

"I don't know, it might be true love." Landon and I look at each other and laugh as quietly as we can.

After class it's lunch time, so I go to the kitchen to grab something to eat, and make a pot of coffee to wake myself up. As I'm waiting for my coffee I think about the new headmaster. I'm not quite sure what to make of him, on the one hand he's a supernatural, so he understands us better than my father ever could, but on the other hand he's such a pompous ass, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't like humans, like at all. The beeping from the coffee maker distracts my thoughts and I grab a mug and pour my coffee. "I was just thinking about bringing you coffee." I hear Landon say, usually I can sense he's magic, but I guess I was too distracted. I turn to acknowledge him, but when I do I notice he is soaking wet from head to toe.

"What happened?" I ask.

"So, I talked to that witch, and the conversation didn't end well." Landon answers.

"Sorry, if you want I can talk to her, or curse her." Landon chuckles at that.

"No, it's fine, but would you be willing to let me take you to dinner?" I hesitate to answer and Landon notices. "Sorry, I just assumed after that kiss..."

"No, no I'm the one whose sorry. I guess it's just been a while since anyone as asked me out. Of course I'd love to go to dinner with you." Landon smiles at that.

"Great, six o'clock, sushi?"

"Six is fine, but no to sushi, I'm allergic to seaweed."

"Oh, ok, how about the Mystic Grill then?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Cool." Landon is about to hug me, but I stop him.

"You're kinda..." I gesture to his wet clothes.

"Oh, right. I should probably take care of this first."

"Probably." Landon turns and leaves, when he does that same feeling I had earlier returns.

**HOPE**

I'm mixing ingredients inside a jar, in the locker I had been assigned. During one of my classes I got to thinking of the possible places the troll could be hiding, it had to be somewhere dark, somewhere he could recover without being seen, there was only one place that fit that description. As soon as the ingredients are mixed I shake the jar up and close my locker, I make my way to the boiler room. As I'm approaching I hear the sound of someone being thrown, must be Alaric, he probably had the same exact thought I did. I roll the jar towards the troll, it stops by his foot. " _Sol._ " a bright light emits from the jar. "Hope!." Alaric tosses an arrow towards me, I use my magic to throw it towards the troll, the arrow goes through his heart and it falls and dies.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and agree with your troll theory." Alaric says as he stands up.

"Yeah, well, it's nocturnal, so I figured I'd just make some artificial sunlight."

"You didn't, you didn't say you were also a witch."

"Look, I'm just here to kill this monster, ok. Then I'll be on my way before this gets anymore complicated." I'm about to walk away when I notice Maya, looking both scared and shocked.

"Um, what was that?" Maya asks. So much for not making this anymore complicated. Alaric and I quickly take Maya to his office, he makes a phone call, and tells me about Malivore, the pit, the monsters. Shortly after MG appears in his office.

"The sound was just a busted water pipe, and then Dr. Saltzman..." MG gets interrupted from compelling Maya.

"Principal Saltzman." Alaric corrects. Still can't believe he's the principal at this school.

"My bad. Principal Saltzman turned the water off and took care of everything." MG finishes.

"Wow, crazy first day, huh?" Maya asks, completing forgetting about the troll.

"Great, you can head back to class now." Maya leaves, MG turns to me, he's about to approach me to compel me but I hold my hand up to him to stop him.

"Don't even think about it." He turns to Alaric to check if it's ok, Alaric nods his head yes.

"Uh, uh, hey, if he trust you, so do I." MG gestures towards Alaric. "Uh, by the way I don't usually do this. I'm not trying to take anyone's agency or anything you know? So, I gotta jet. I got a study date with some uh, uh, someone." MG is suddenly nervous as he's speaking with Alaric, guess he's got a study date with Lizzie, good for him. "It could-it could be anybody, really."

"Well, thanks for getting here so quickly. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. You'll always be my headmaster." MG leaves and I approach Alaric.

"So, uh, why aren't you headmaster of that other school anymore?"

"It's a long story." 

"Oh, ok. Uh, I'll be back once school lets out so we can clean up what's probably a dead troll."

"You're not fazed by any of this, are you?"

"I-I mean, I-I just think that the story that you told me, about the monsters and the scary black pit, just makes a lot of sense I guess." Alaric just gives me this look, like he knows I'm lying, knowing him he probably does. "Um, look, I'm really glad to hear that it stopped, I'm sorry that's it's happening again."

"It's not your fault." If only you knew. "Now that I know your cover story is a lie. I-I'm assuming Tom and Kathleen aren't real." Probably should have come up with better names. "Ok, the school I used to work at, you'd be welcomed there." I chuckle at that.

"Oh, yeah, that sounds amazing, but I'm just passing through." I'm not ready to see her again. I'm about to leave the office when Alaric speaks up.

"Hey, look, I uh, I don't really have access to the school's resources anymore, and I'm trying to give my daughters some space, but if these monster attacks are starting up again, I could use the backup. You know, I don't really have anyone else." The look he gives me, I feel bad, almost bad enough to consider staying, but I can't.

"I work better alone." I say as I walk out of his office. I attend the rest of my classes to kill time, when the school is empty Alaric and I meet at the boiler room to clean up the dead troll.

"There's, uh, something I want to ask. You know, when we were fighting, how'd I know to throw that bolt to you? It was like muscle memory." I don't say anything, so he continues. "We've fought together before, haven't we?"

"What? That seems totally impossible." I lie, but it's no use.

"Yeah, except I live in a world where a creature named Malivore can erase people from your memory." Shit. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Even if I told you, it wouldn't change anything. Ok, it wouldn't bring your memories back. It would just be words. Leaving will be easier if you don't know."

"Well then don't leave."

"You told me that the monster attacks had stopped, and then right when I show up, things start happening again. Normally I would stick around to clean up my mess, but I can't stay in a place where no one remembers me." We arrive at the spot where I killed the troll, but it's not there. "Um, Alaric."

"Ok, so not a troll." We leave quickly and start looking for the troll, we follow its blood trail outside.

"Ok, so if it's not a troll, then what else could it be?" I ask.

"I don't know, but it's here, somewhere. Question is why?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, the pattern is that I wound it, and then it runs and hides from me. So, it must be sticking to the shadows, waiting for it to get dark."

"Well, when the monsters came last time, they were always after something. See if we can figure out what it's looking for."

"Ok." Alaric walks ahead of me, when I look up in the distance and I see Landon and Josie together, and I can't help but wish it was me that was walking beside Josie.

** FLASHBACK **

_I had woken up to the sound of Lizzie barging into my room in the middle of the night. She said she had fallen asleep with Josie in her arms, and when she woke up she wasn't there. I told her I'd look for her, that she should go back to her room, as soon as I found Josie I'd make sure to take her back to their room. She nodded her head and thanked me. I did a locator spell and saw she was over by the docks, I quickly put on my shoes and ran out there, as I approached the docks, I see Josie, she's sitting with her head on her knees shivering. "Josie, what are you doing out here? Lizzie came into my room worried about you." I ask. "I couldn't fall asleep, too afraid to." I sit behind Josie and wrap my arms around her, she relaxes a bit. "Talk to me." I beg. Josie let's out a shaky breath._

_"I'm afraid of what I'll see when I close my eyes. The look on Jo's face as she was burying me alive, or Jo disappearing as Lizzie and I siphoned the magic from her."_

_"Jo's gone?" I ask, Josie shakes her head yes. "I'm so sorry Josie."_

_"She said before she was brought back, she was in peace, and while a part of me is happy she's in peace, there's another part that wishes she didn't have to go. I connected with her Hope, I love my mom I do, but I don't have the same connection with her as Lizzie does. And it was so much easier to talk to Jo about things...I know when she died I wasn't even born yet, but it feels like I just said goodbye for the second time." I feel the tears falling from Josie's face, and my hold on her tightens._

_"Do you remember two years ago, when I had absorbed all that magic and it was killing me?"_

_"Yeah, your dad wanted Lizzie and I to take it out of you and put it in him."_

_"Well, I had collapsed, and when I opened my eyes I was in the woods, and then I saw my mom." Josie turns to me. "I wanted nothing more than to stay with her, but she wouldn't let me, said I had to live and have one totally epic love." Josie chuckles at that. "Even though it sucked having to leave her, I was glad I got the chance to say goodbye to her. You're gonna be sad for a while, and that's ok, but don't just focus on the bad stuff, focus on some of the good too. You got a chance to meet your biological mother, you talked with her, you bonded with her, you know for a fact she's at peace."_

_"And I look like her."_

_"Yeah, you two are practically twins." Josie and I laugh at that._

_"Dad is sending Lizzie and I to Europe with my mom for a bit."_

_"How long will you been gone?"_

_"Two weeks." I don't say anything for a minute, then I speak up again._

_"Listen, when...when we found you, I came to realize some things."_

_"What things?"_

_"I think it's best if I wait till you come back from Europe, you've been through enough already, and I don't want to add more to it."_

_"Ok."_

_"We should head back, before Lizzie bursts into your dad's room." I get up and help Josie up._

_"Wait, did Lizzie just burst into your room?"_

_"Yeah."  
_

_"I'm so sorry Hope."_

_"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad I found you." Josie slides her arm in mine and we walk back to the school._

**FLASHBACK ENDS**

I shake my head of those thoughts, as I do so I come to a realization. The monster, it must be after Landon. I look over at Josie and Landon again. If I'm right then Josie will be in caught in the middle, of all the people Josie could have dated whey did she have to date Landon freaking Kirby?!

**JOSIE**

Landon and I had just finished eating and we were walking back to the school. The date was nice even though I hardly said a word. "Are you ok?" I look up at Landon. "You've been awfully quiet, I'm not even sure if you had a good time." Landon says. I have no idea what's wrong with me, why I feel the way I feel, Landon's a really nice guy. "Sorry, I think I just feel weird about dating again. I had a good time, really." I say to him.

"Sorry you didn't like your milkshake."

"You know what's weird, I have no idea why I ordered the peanut butter blast with whip cream at the bottom. I like peanut butter as much as the next guy, but whip cream? And it was at the bottom, I honestly don't even remember doing it." Landon laughs at that.

"Seriously though, you have a good time?"

"I did, I'm really sorry we didn't talk more."

"Maybe next time?" Landon asks hopeful.

"Yeah, next time." Landon smiles at that and we continue to walk in silence. A thought pops into my head and I stop, Landon stops with me.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, I just realized today was my dad's first day as principal at Mystic Falls High. Since I'm in town I'm gonna see how his first day was."

"Want me to come?"

"No, he'll ask why we're together and I'm not ready to tell him I was on a date. He'll ask questions, then he'll ask you what your intentions are, the whole thing will be embarrassing."

"Whoa, ok, I'll see you back at school then." He kisses my cheek and walks ahead of me. I smile as I watch him go and head towards the high school.

** HOPE **

Alaric and I had split up as soon as it got dark. The monster would be out and about, and we figured it would be faster to find him split up, I just needed to find Landon, if I'm right, the monster will be where Landon is. At first I didn't spot Landon, or Josie, they might have returned to the school, in which case I wouldn't have to worry as much, but then I spotted Landon. He took out his headphones and put them in his ears and sat down, he was scribbling in his journal. Josie isn't with him, that's good, that means she's safe. And like clockwork the monster appeared, as it was approaching Landon, I was approaching it. " _Icaeus._ " The monster is thrown far away from Landon, as he begins to stand I run at him, I jump and land a punch on him, he quickly recovers and hit's me, because of he's strength I fly across the park, the monster is slowly approaching me. He's standing over me when Josie suddenly appears and siphons magic from me. " _Igno lucen._ " The monster catches fire, he's hair is burned off and that's when I see he only has one eye. "Is that a cyclops?" Josie asks as she helps me up. "Yeah." I answer. "Thought they were bigger." "Josie, what are you doing here?" Alaric asks as he runs to us. "No time. The monster is a cyclops, aim for the eye." I say. Alaric raises his crossbow and takes aim, he shoots and the arrow hits the cyclops directly in the eye. It falls to the ground and begins to turn to ash. "Uh, what's going on?" We turn to see Landon facing us, with his headphones off.

"Nothing." Alaric and I say at the same time.

"I thought you were heading back to the school." Josie says confused.

"I was, but then I thought I'd wait for you." Landon says.

"Well, why don't you head that way now, I'll catch up I promise." 

"Ok, if you insist." Landon gathers his things and leaves, Josie turns to her dad.

"Are the monsters back?"

"I honestly don't know, that's the first one I've seen. What were you even doing here anyway?"

"Well, I was looking for you. I wanted to see how your first day was. You weren't at the school, so I figured you went home for the day, so I decided to go back to the school, but then I felt powerful magic coming from here, and this area isn't one of Mystic Falls magical hot spots, so I decided to check it out, and well you know the rest." Josie turns to me. "Are you ok?" Josie places her hands on my face and looks me over. "That monster hit you pretty hard." I look at her, unsure of what to say, this is the first time she's seen me, this is the first time in months I've been this close to her.

"I have to go." I turn and walk away, I can't do this.

**JOSIE**

"Who is that girl dad?" 

"She says her name is Hope Marshall, but I have a feeling that isn't her real name. The only thing I actually know about her is that she's a witch."

"No, she isn't."

"What are you talking about? I've seen her do magic, she's a witch."

"I mean, she's not just a witch."

"What exactly did you sense?"

"She's part vampire and part werewolf."

"That's impossible."

"Maybe, but it doesn't make it any less true. Listen, I'm gonna check on her, make sure she's ok, then I'm gonna head back to school."

"Ok, just be careful."

"I will."

**HOPE**

**FLASHBACK**

_After running into Lizzie, I thought I'd see if Josie wanted to help me out. I went to her room and knocked on her door. "Come in." I hear her say. "I kind of have my hands full, mind helping me out?" The door magically opens, and when I walk in I see Josie unpacking her bags. "What's all that for?" She asks, gesturing to the items in my hands. "I was thinking we could spell a barrier around the urn so when the next monster shows up, we can trap it." I repeat what I said to Lizzie to Josie._ _"I asked your sister if she wanted to help, but she said no, so I thought I'd ask you if you wanted to help instead." Josie pauses in her unpacking to look at me._

_"Of course, you know I love doing magic with you."_

_"You mean you love learning illegal spells with me."_

_"That too, just let me finish unpacking. You can put that stuff on the bed so you don't have to continue carrying it." I place the items on the bed and wait patiently for Josie to finish, when she does she pulls out a bag from her luggage and hands it to me._

_"What is this?" I ask._

_"While we were in France we passed by this paint shop, I know you love to paint so I got you some supplies." I open the bag and look through it's contents, it's mainly brushes and paint, but I look up and smile at the gesture. "Do you like them, I'm not an artist, so I wasn't too sure what to get, or what you might need."_

_"Go on a date with me."_

_"What?" Josie says shocked. I mentally face palm myself. Oh, well, too late to turn back now. I place the bag on the bed and take a step towards Josie._

_"Do you remember when we were on the docks, I told you I had realized some things, and that I would tell you about them when you got back?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Ever since my parents died, I shut people out, put these walls up, I trusted nobody, and decided to spend the rest of my life alone, so that I would never have to worry about losing somebody I cared about. And then the day we had to do community service, after talking with you for five minutes, my walls came down. I felt like I could trust you, I no longer wanted to shut people out, or be alone. And every time we spend time together I feel closer and closer to you. I'm still scared of losing someone I care about, but the thought of being away from you scares me more. I'm falling for you Josie Saltzman, and it'd make me very happy if you went out on a date with me." She doesn't say anything at first, I think she was processing everything I said, at least that's what I hoped, then she smiled at me._

_"I'd love to go on a date with you Hope Mikaelson."_

** END FLASHBACK **

"Hope?" I turn to see Josie walking towards me. After I ran away from her I went someplace I could be alone. I felt like such an idiot, running away from her like that. "Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were ok before I went back to school."

"I'm fine, I'm sorry about that."

"What happened? Was it something I did?"

"No, you could never...it wasn't you, it was me. You reminded me of someone, someone I love very much."

"What happened."

"Oh, classic story, she has no idea I exist." Josie chuckles at that, and I look at her confused.

"There is no way that girl doesn't know you exist."

"Well, in her defense I did go away for a while, long enough to completely forget about me."

"May I offer some advice?"

"Sure."

"If you love this girl, like you say you do, then you need to remind her who you are." I look Josie up at Josie. "Your special Hope, and the moment this girl realizes that, I'm sure you two will be together in no time." How the hell does she do that? Even though she doesn't remember me, she still manages to bring down any walls I put up, she still manages to make me feel...special.

"Thank you."

"No problem. I have to get going. I hope to see you around." I simply smile at that and watch as she leaves.

**JOSIE**

Shortly after my talk with Hope I took a cab back to the school. The whole cab ride I thought of Hope. For some reason, being around her, fighting beside her, talking with her, it felt right. For a while now nothing has felt quite right, and just a few moments with Hope, and it's like the world is whole again. After a few minutes we arrive at the school, I'm still thinking about Hope on my way to my room until I spot Landon, sitting by my door. I guess he decided to wait up for me, I hope he didn't wait long. "Hey, you weren't waiting long were you?" I ask. He stands up and places his hands in his pant pocket, he seems nervous. "I know you said you had a good time on our date, and I want to believe you, I do, but I know you didn't have a good time. So, if you could please tell me why you didn't have a good time, what I did, what I can do to make it up to you I'd really appreciate it." Landon explains. I unlock my door and open it, I gesture for Landon to follow me in. As soon as we get into my room I sit on my bed, and Landon joins me.

"It's not that I didn't have a good time." I say.

"Then what was it?" Landon asks.

"Do you remember over the summer, when were waiting for the fireworks, I told you I had been feeling heartbroken, and I didn't know why." Landon nods his head yes. "I'm still feeling that way, and now every time I'm with you, I feel guilty, like I'm betraying someone, cheating on them even, and I don't know why I feel that. I haven't been with anybody else since Penelope, and I just feel so ridiculous for feeling that way, because I like you and I want this, I want us to work, but I can't shake this feeling, and believe me I've tried." Landon doesn't say anything at first, then he finally speaks up.

"I'm pretty sure I'm a fraud."

"What?" That's not what I was expecting him to say.

"Everyone says I stopped Malivore, but all I did was wake up next to an empty pit. I have no idea what happened, only that I'm not the hero they think I am. I went along with it because it felt nice, I enjoyed it, I finally felt like I belonged here." Landon let's out a heavy sigh. "And most of all, um, I was doing it because I wanted to impress you. I mean, you're this all-powerful witch, and I wanted you to think that I was the kind of guy that could take care of you. You're the kind of girl that deserves to be taken care of . Every once in a while at least." I smile at that.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm all-powerful, that's actually reserved for someone else, but I'm pretty powerful for a siphon." Landon laughs at that. 

"I want you to know, what you've been feeling, I don't know why you've been feeling it, but I'm willing to figure it out with you, however long it takes." Landon grabs my hand. "You should also know that I'm gonna do way too much and go over the top with big speeches and boyfriend gestures and try to make everything perfect."

"Did you just say 'boyfriend'?"

"Yeah, I think I did."

"Ok." I lean forward and kiss Landon, he kisses me back.

** HOPE **

After my talk with Josie I went back to the school. Alaric always worked long hours, I knew he would still be in his office. I approach his office and knock on the door as I enter. He looks up from what he's doing, and I take a deep breath. "Um, my name's not Hope Marshall, it's Hope Mikaelson. I'm Klaus and Hayley's daughter." Alaric looks at me shocked by my revelation. He stands and walk over to me, tears begin to fall from my face. "And I know you don't remember this, but, um you're the closest thing I have to a father now, and the entire world has forgotten I existed, and the girl I love has moved on, so I have absolutely no idea what to do next." Alaric lets out a sigh. "Its ok, we'll figure it out together." He steps up closer to me, I hug him and cry on his chest, I let out everything I had been holding in.

**JOSIE**

Despite the long day I had, and the fact that I was tired, I got hungry. I went down to the kitchen to fix myself a sandwich before curfew. As I was spreading the peanut butter over the bread I heard footsteps approaching, when I turned to look to see who it was, I saw it was Headmaster Vardemus who was approaching me. "I asked around about you Josette Saltzman, for someone not born with magic of her own, you're a very powerful witch. I'm creating a new magic curriculum for advanced students, invitation only. I'd like you to be the first." Wow, normally Lizzie is the one people notice, I almost feel bad for calling him a pompous ass. "This new curriculum will require discipline, speaking of discipline." Vardemus takes out a pocket watch to look at the time. "Curfew beings in three minutes." He puts his watch away and leaves the kitchen, I can't help but smile. Usually no one notices me, and now not only has the new headmaster noticed me, but he sees the potential I have. Maybe this year will be different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, during the first episode of season 2 I liked how Josie and Landon connected, and while I totally ship Hosie, I had to admit I kinda shipped them too, until episode 2 came out then that ship sunk; however, I do still like the moments they have together, so I took out most of the awkwardness and jealousy because I absolutely hated that. I hope you like the new chapter, I actually had time to get another chapter out, though chapter 3 probably won't be finished as fast.


	3. YOU REMIND ME OF SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Josie team up to keep Rafael safe.

**YOU REMIND ME OF SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW**

**HOPE**

They say that it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Whoever wrote that clearly never experienced the love of their life forgetting their whole existence. It makes you want to be alone, because you can't lose what you never had. I don't regret falling in love with Josie, if I could go back in time and do it over again, I'd choose her over being alone. But if I had chosen to be alone, I wouldn't be in so much pain, and it wouldn't bother me so much to see Josie with Landon.

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of a trash can falling over, and boys rushing to leave the premises as soon as they see me approaching. At the entrance I notice there's toilet paper everywhere, and graffiti on the Timberwolves sign. Must be the annual flag football game between Salvatore and Mystic Falls High. I suddenly hear a siren and turn to see the sheriff's patrol car show up. When the patrol car comes to a stop a woman steps out instead of Sheriff Donovan, wonder what happened to him?

"This looks pretty self-explanatory, but you want to give it a shot?" Wait does she think I did this?

"Um, toxic masculinity mixed with outdated sports pranks?" The woman doesn't seem happy with my answer, then I notice the back window whirring down and I see Maya in the back seat.

"There's no way Hope did it. She's a Timberwolf, not a Stallion." Maya says.

"Maya? What happened?" Did she get herself into trouble?

"Oh, don't worry. She's my mom." Maya says as she gets out of the patrol car. "We don't really like to talk about it." She closes the patrol car door.

"We?" I ask as I hear the other door open and close.

"Hey, Hope." It's Ethan.

"Ethan? So, you guys are..."

"My kids, no matter how much it embarrasses them." The sheriff speaks up.

"Cause who doesn't like getting dropped off to school in a cop car?" Ethan asks as he and Maya walk towards the school.

"I'm on official business." She says to them, then turns back to me. "Now, show me where I can find Principal Saltzman."

We caught up with Alaric in the hallway, apparently the reason the sheriff wanted to talk to him is because a student never came home last night. As soon as he heard this Alaric told me to go to his office and cloak myself so I could listen in on the conversation, in case a monster was involved, so I got to his office before he and the sheriff do. Apparently this kid's teammates last saw him at the Old Mill by the Salvatore school, since Alaric hasn't been here long he's not really familiar with the kid. Then the weirdest thing happens, the sheriff starts to flirt with Alaric, and I think Alaric is flirting back? Too bad Josie isn't here to see this, she'd probably ask the sheriff what her intentions were towards her father, kinda like how Alaric asked me when Josie told him we were together. Josie was so embarrassed, but I thought it was funny. It had actually reminded me of something my mom once told me about my dad. She had once mentioned that he would be a problem when I started dating, and he told her he would be a perfect gentlemen, until of my 'suitors' failed to meet his expectations, then he was going to compel them to the priesthood. Wonder if Josie would have meet his expectations, or if I'd end up dating dating a nun? 

"Did you get all that?" Alaric asks.

"Yeah, she's definitely into you." I reply, and Alaric laughs at that.

"What? No. No, she's just new to town, trying to makes friends, which is exactly what you need to be doing." Not this again.

"Yeah, well tried that last year. Didn't really work out, so I'm gonna focus on monster slaying."

"Well, it sounds like there could be another monster lurking around the Salvatore School. So, I'll check in with Dorian, since he has access to research we don't. Any other ideas?"

"Just one, but, uh, we are both going to hate it."

**JOSIE**

"As you are well aware, it's time for the annual American football match with Mystic Falls High." Vardemus announces, and every student at assembly groans. No one was looking forward to having to lose to them and then get mocked about losing, again. "Today, you will not be forced to lose a game so that humans can feel superior." Mm, sounds like he's going to let us win this year. "Everyone of you is special, every one of you. And it's time you showed it." Everyone started applauding, was he actually implying we could use magic this year, I need to verify. "How?" I stand and ask. "By using your powers in moderation, Ms. Saltzman." Ok, not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand it would be great if we won a game, and to use our powers, but at the same time, there was a reason dad always told us not to. "The goal is not exposure, merely to win. Think of it as an exercise in control." Vardemus finishes, and Kaleb stands. "Well, I am here for it. After last year, it'll feel really good to show those Timberwolves what we're all about, right?" Everyone seems to agree with Kaleb. "And who better to lead you in this endeavor, as your quarterback, than our own Landon Kirby?" Vardemus tosses the ball to Landon, who barely catches it, everyone cheers, and he looks over at me, I give him a small smile. Is Landon even a sports guy? 

**SALAVATOR SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD**

"Yellow 80, yellow 80." Josie throws Landon the football, but instead of catching it, it hits hit chest. "Sorry, foster care didn't have a football team. What did I tell you? I'm a fraud." Josie approaches Landon. "Now, the whole school's gonna see it, and-this is a total disaster." Landon says frustrated.

"Hey." Josie takes both Landon's hands in her own. "Listen to me, we're gonna get through this." Josie says trying to comfort Landon.

"How? I can't even throw." Landon states.

"Yes, you can. You just need a little help." Josie siphon's magic from Landon. " _Viribus_." 

"What'd you do?" Landon asks as Josie picks up the football and hands it to him.

"See for yourself." Josie simply states. Landon throws the football across the field until the football hits the Mystic Fall High school bus, everyone stares in amazement.

"Damn! That's my quarter back." Kaleb says proudly. The school bus opens and the Timberwolves flag football team exits the bus, Alaric and Hope are among them. Hope notices Josie standing with Landon, Josie notices Hope as well. She smiles and waves at Hope, Hope only offers a small smile in return.

"Hey, isn't that the girl from the park? Who is she?" Landon asks Josie.

"Hope, she's new in town." Josie responds, Landon gives Hope an unsure look.

"Let's just get this over with as fast as possible." Hope states.

"Works for me. I'm no more comfortable being here than you are." Alaric says. Dorian approaches them.

"Ric, there's something that you need to see." Dorian states. As Alaric follows Dorian off the field, Hope and Maya approach mid field, where Josie and Landon are already waiting. Vardemus approaches with a football in one hand, and a coin in the other. Students cheer in the background and they await the coin toss.

"Let us begin our annual rite of American excess, but unlike last year, I expect no unseemly violence, only for each team to play to the fullest extent of their abilities." Vardemus looks at Josie as he speaks that last part. "Understood?" Both teams nod their heads in understanding. "Timberwolves of Mystic Falls, you may, as I believe they say, call it in the air." Vardemus flips the coin in the air and Maya calls out 'heads', while in the air the coin magically changes to tails, and when it lands both teams see the coin has landed on tails.

"Tails never fails." Landon states.

"We'll take the ball." Josie says.

"So, it begins. Uh, shake hands." Both teams shake hands.

"I'm surprised to see you here, you don't seem like the type whose in to this kind of thing." Josie says to Hope as they shake hands.

"I'm normally not, just changing it up." Hope replies.

"Well, good luck." Josie joins the rest of the Salvatore Stallions, Landon stares Hope down for a moment then turns to join the rest of the team. Hope picks up the coin and sees it turn back to normal, she scoffs at that. Minutes later Alaric returns and informs Hope of what he just learned.

"Dorian found the missing kid. Thank god he's ok, but we definitely have another monster wandering around these woods. Dorian's digging into the research, but he thinks it's a Shunka, and before you ask what that is, it's a carnivorous creature that feeds only on werewolves." Alaric explains.

"Good thing it's not a full moon." Alaric stops walking and looks gives Hope a look.

"Yeah, except Raf has been stuck in wolf form ever since you've been gone." Alaric states, and Hope is surprised by this news.

"Wait, Raf? I didn't know that he turned." Hope says.

"Yeah, happened fighting Triad, hasn't been able to turn back since." Alaric states.

"Yeah, of course he can't turn back. I'm the only one that can turn him back. I'm the one that gave him that crescent moon ring. Ok, look, I've got to go find him before the Shunka finds him first." Hope stresses. Out on the football field Josie manages to get hold of the football, she pretends to hand it off the Kaleb and run towards the end of the field, but Maya grabs one of the flags attached to Josie and falls down. Josie then reveals her hands are empty, Maya is confused by this, she looks around the field to see Kaleb has the football and has just scored a touchdown. The Salvatore students cheer at scoring a point. "I need to get out of here and find Raf." Hope states.

"Agreed, we just need to find a way to ditch this game." Alaric says.

"No, Rafael is my responsibility. You need to stay here and keep an eye on that new headmaster." Hope tells Alaric.

"Why?" Alaric asks confused.

"Because, he already used magic to cheat. He's up to something." Hope replies.

"Caroline picked my replacement herself. There's no way..." Alaric looks over at Vardemus, whose sitting on a chair with an umbrella over his head. "She's gonna hire a weirdo with an umbrella...Ok, I'm on it." Alaric decides.

"Ok, now to plot my escape. Wish me luck." Hope walks onto the field.

"Break a leg." Alaric says. Hope walks over to Maya and helps her up.

"Hey." Hope says.

"Hey, I thought I had her, trick play I guess." Maya suspects.

"You have no idea, we're screwed." Hope says knowingly.

"Hey, it was just one score, and you're gonna march us straight down that field and tie us up." Hope looks at Maya confused.

"What do you mean? Your brother's the quarterback." Hope says still confused.

"No, not today. He can't risk blowing out his knee on some pick-up game, so we're all counting on you." Hope does not like the sound of that. "Come on, you got it." Maya states, and the Timberwolves huddle.

"Ok, uh, all right, guys, let's do this." Hope isn't sure what she's supposed to do or say.

"Do what? You're the quarter back Hope, you call the plays." Maya says.

"Everybody go long?" Hope says, unsure if that's actually a thing or not. 

"Works for me, Timberwolves on three." The Timberwolves put their hands together and yell out 'Timberwolves', and head out into the field and get into position. Maya tosses the ball to Hope, she doesn't catch it, she picks it up from the ground, Landon spots Hope and runs towards her, as Hope tosses the ball, Landon tackles her to the ground. Kaleb and MG both try to catch the ball at the same time, but instead they bump into each other and Maya catches the ball, she runs across the field until she gets a touchdown. The Timberwolves cheer, and jump up and down excited for the touch down, even Alaric joins in.

"Hell of a throw Jonny Utah." Landon says as he moves Hope off of him, suddenly Hope is crying out in pain, Josie rushes over to see what's going on.

"Are you ok?" Josie asks.

"Yeah." Hope says as she slowly stands up.

"If you need a nurse the nurse's office is in the first floor, right side." Landon explains.

"Ok." Hope says as she 'limps' off. Josie watches as she does so, she notices her father hand Hope a bag, and then she heads to the school.

"Josie, what's wrong?" Josie turns to Landon.

"I'm gonna go check on her." Josie replies. 

"Why?" Landon asks.

"Because she's faking it." Josie responds.

"You sure, I did tackle her pretty hard." Landon says.

"No, you didn't, and even if you did, she's supernatural, she could easily walk it off." Josie says as she walks off the field.

"Josie! Wait, don't leave me! I don't know what I'm doing." Landon whispers the last part. As Josie walks off the field she is stopped by Vardemus.

"Where do you think you're going Ms. Saltzman?" He asks.

"Following that Timberwolf." Josie gestures towards Hope, Vardemus follows her line of sight and spots Hope heading towards the school. "Gotta make sure our secret stays secret." Josie explains, and Vardemus nods his head in approval.

"Good on you for taking the initiative." Vardemus compliments, and Josie continues to follow Hope.

** HOPE **

As I walked down the hall of the Salvatore school, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic. I basically grew up here, it was my second home, and of course it's where I fell in love with Josie. I go up the stairs and find Landon and Raf's room, as soon as I enter I spot Josie's ukele on the dresser next to a guitar. I put the bag down and pick up the ukele, I hold it to my chest for a moment before I remember why I'm here. "Stop, stop, stop." I place Josie's ukele back down on the dresser. "You're here for a reason." I remind myself. I go over to Raf's side of the room and gather some clothes for him. I sit down and place his clothing in the bag, and take out a map and knife. I spread the map on the floor and make a small cut on my finger, I'm about to let my blood drip down onto the map when I hear Josie speak up. 

"What are you doing in my boyfriends room?" Josie asks as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"I know this looks bad..."

"No, it looks like you're about to do a locator spell, who exactly are you looking for?" I don't say anything, so Josie begins walking towards me, I stand up ready to cast a spell, but Josie beats me to it.

" _Corporis impetus._ " I'm frozen in place unable to move. "You may the most powerful being here, but I'm faster at spell casting." Couldn't argue with that. Josie goes over to the bag Alaric gave me and looks through it, she takes out Raf's clothing and holds them out. "You're looking for Raf, why?" I don't say anything, I don't want to involve her. "Hope, is Raf in trouble? If he is you have to tell me." Sorry Josie, I don't want to put you in danger, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. "Hope, if you don't tell me what's going on I'm gonna have to pry it out of you." I can't help but chuckle at that.

"No offense Josie, but I'm not scared of you." Her threat was so cute.

"Do you know why supernaturals can't be compelled by vampires?" Josie asks as she steps closer to me, I don't answer her question though. "It's our magic, each of us has it." She wraps her hand around my wrist. "You take that magic away." Josie begins to siphon magic from me. "You're basically human, vulnerable to compulsion." Suddenly I feel an agonizing pain and I let out a scream, but no one is at the school, so no one hears it. "You have a lot of magic in you Hope, but it'll only take me a minute to take it all away from you, and once I do I will have you compelled by one of our vampires, so please just tell me what's going on. Raf is my friend and my boyfriends brother, if he's in trouble I need to know." I can feel Josie absorbing all my magic, I forgot how bad ass and scary she could be.

"Your father asked me to do a locator spell to find Rafael." The pain stops then, but I still feel Josie siphoning from me. 

"Ok, why wouldn't he have my sister or I help you?" Josie questions.

"Because you don't know about the Crescent Wolf Clan, not like I do." I explain, and Josie stops siphoning from me. I almost feel drained, Josie's never taken that much from me.

"You're a Crescent wolf aren't you?" I look at her shocked.

"Yes, you don't seem surprised that I'm also a wolf."

"I'm a siphon, I can sense magic, you've got a mixture of vampire, werewolf, and witch magic in you. And honestly after all the monsters we fought last year, nothing really surprises me much these days." I had forgotten about that. "So, you can turn Raf back." I nod my head yes again. Josie let's go of my wrist and unfreezes me. " _Saeclum._ "

"There is a monster in the woods, and it feeds on werewolves." I state.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"Sorry, but I fly solo."

"Right, how are you feeling right now?" I open and close my mouth, but nothing comes out. "That's what I thought, you're gonna need back up." Josie goes over to the dresser and pulls out a map. "I did a tracking spell on Raf during the summer, Landon was worried about him." Josie puts Raf's clothes in the bag and hands it to me. "Just try to keep up." Josie says as she walks ahead of me.

"Hey, that's usually my line." I say as I follow her. A few minutes later we arrive at the woods and begin tracking Raf, neither of us say anything at first, but I have to ask what the hell that was back there. It's never hurt when Josie's siphoned from me before. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She answers.

"When you siphoned from me before, in the park, it didn't hurt, but this time it did, why is that?" Josie stops and turns to look at me, regret is written all over her face.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that..."

"Hey, no." I step closer to her, I hesitate for a second before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Never apologize for being protective of the people you care about." Josie let's out a shaky breath.

"Um, to answer your question." Josie turns and continues to follow the map to Raf. "Normally when I siphon, to keep from hurting people and taking too much magic from them, I siphon slowly from them."

"And with me you just allowed yourself to lose control."

"Yeah, which is why I shouldn't have done that."

"I already told you..."

"I know." Josie stops and turns around. "The thing is, because I don't have magic of my own, when I siphon it from someone, its like this rush, this-this high."

"So, what? You're like a crackhead on crack?" I say as I let out a chuckle.

"Of course you wouldn't understand, you were born with magic."

"So, help me understand." I say as I step closer to her. 

"You still feeling a bit drained?"

"A little yeah." Josie places the map under her arm and extends her hands towards me, I take hold of both of them.

"So, a couple years back, my sister and I found out not only can we absorb magic, but we can also move it somewhere else." She must be talking about the time she and Lizzie took the dark magic out of me and put it in my father. I notice Josie's hands glowing, but I don't feel her absorbing my magic, suddenly I feel this overwhelming rush coursing through me and I fall to my knees. Josie kneels in front of me, the feeling is gone as fast as it came.

"What was that?" I ask.

"That was your magic, I gave some of it back to you."

"So, that's what if feels like to siphon magic?" I ask.

"That's how it feels to siphon from you."

"Why'd you stop then, why didn't you just take everything?"

"Believe me I wanted to." Josie places her hand on my cheek and caresses it with the pad of her thumb. "I still do, it's taking every ounce of self control not to siphon more from you." Josie and I are so close, if I lean in just a couple inches I'll be able to feel her lips on mine again.

"Help! Help! Somebody help!" The cry for help gets me out of my daze, I stand and quickly run towards the cries for help.

"Hope, wait you don't know what's out there!" I hear Josie shout, but I ignore her. What was I thinking letting her get that close, she's with Landon now! I keep running until I see what I assume to be the Shunka, it's huge with big teeth and glowing red eyes. I hear Josie running up behind me, I turn and hold my hand up to stop her from getting any closer.

"Stay back." Josie stops, as she does the Shunka sniffs and takes a step in our direction.

"Do you think it smells Raf?" Josie asks, it keeps sniffing until it's gaze lands on Josie. "Uh..."

"Last year when the monster came they were after artifacts right?" I ask.

"Yeah." Josie answers

"Well this year they're after your boyfriend, and I think the Shunka smells him on you."

"Crap, we cuddled this morning." I did not need to hear that. "So, what do we do?" The Shunka growls at Josie.

" _Incendia._ " I throw a fire ball at it and take Josie's hand and run for it. We run until we spot a black werewolf in front of us, then both of us stop, the wolf growls at us, it has to be Raf. "Raf." Raf turns to go. "Wait, Raf, wait." Raf continues to walk off.

"Raf." Raf stops when Josie calls out to him. Oh, that's right, Raf had a crush on her for a while. "This is Hope, she's a friend, she can help you, please let her help you. Landon needs you." Raf whines and slowly steps up towards us, I slowly walk up to him, I'm about to turn him back when we hear growl, Josie and I turn to see the Shunka not too far from us. "Bring him back, I'll distract the monster." Josie says.

"What, no."

"He's been a wolf for too long Hope, and so long as he's in his wolf form he is in danger, so turn him back. The faster you turn him back, the faster you can help me kill this thing." I look from Raf to Josie. "I'll be careful I promise, just please." She give me that damn pouty look that I both hate and love at the same time.

"Don't die." Josie turns to face the Shunka.

" _Motus._ " The Shunka is pushed back, as Josie continues to distract the Shunka I work on reversing the effects of the crescent ring I gave Raf. Just as I finish I hear a 'oh crap' come from Josie, I look up and see that Josie has run out of magic, and the Shunka looks like it's ready to pounce on her. I get on my feet and run towards Josie, I jump and shift into my wolf midair.

**JOSIE**

While Hope worked on bringing Raf back, I distracted the Shunka, everything was going well until I ran out of magic. One of the things I hated about being a siphon, beside not having magic of my own. When I looked over at the Shunka I noticed it was preparing to pounce at me. "Oh crap." Just as it was getting ready to take a leap, a white wolf appeared and tackled it to the ground. "Hope?" I question. The Shunka quickly recovers and grabs Hope, he picks her up and throws her on the ground. "Hope!" The Shunka then turns back to me and walks in my direction. "Come on dude, not the droid you're looking for."

Suddenly one of my dad's bolts pierces through his shoulder and it cries out in pain. I take advantage of this and grab the bolt and stab it through his mouth, up his head, blood spatters my arm. "Ew, ew, ew." I say as I step back from it. "Did you just seriously say 'not the droid you're looking for." I look over at a very naked Hope, I begin to stutter, no words come out of my mouth. "Josie." I turn and see a very naked Raf holding my dad's crossbow, I quickly cover my eyes. "I'm glad to see you both are ok, but I need you to put some clothes on please, I'm gonna head back to the school, catch up with me when you're descent. I stumble away until I feel it's safe for me to uncover my eyes.

I continue to walk to the edge of the woods where the school comes into view, I immediately spot Landon who rushes over to me. "Where have you been?! You just left me. During halftime everyone suddenly decided they didn't want to use magic anymore, Lizzie and MG took off, the QB on the other team got his arm broken because one of the wolves tackled him too hard, then your dad punched the headmaster and started a fight." I attempt to process the information Landon just gave me, I didn't even know where to begin. "Were you with Hope this whole time?" He asks.

"So what if she was?" Landon and I turn at the sound of Hope's voice. "What's the problem?" Landon is about to say something when Raf comes into view.

"Raf? I-I thought I you were gone."

"You can stop thinking that bro, 'cause I'm back. Hope and Josie brought me back." Landon looks at me.

"It was mainly Hope. Um, you catch up with Raf, from what you told me I have some things to clean up." Landon hugs me, and kisses my cheek, he then goes over to Raf and hugs him, they then walk towards the school.

"You just slayed a monster, you shouldn't have to clean any messes, leave it for someone else." Hope says as she steps closer to me.

"Unfortunately it involves my dad, so I can't. Listen, Landon said your QB got his arm broken, you should probably go and check up on him, though I'd avoid going through the field, apparently my dad started a fight."

"Oh no, I thought Ethan wasn't playing." Hope says worried. "Wait your dad started a fight?"

"Apparently."

"I don't want to leave you with that mess all to yourself." Hope says, concern laced in her voice.

"I'll be fine, cleaning up messes is kinda my thing." Hope smiles at that, wonder why.

"Ok."

"Thank you, for all your help."

"What are you thanking me for, you did most of the work." I laugh at that.

"Until next time Hope Marshall." I say as I turn to leave. I quickly run back to the football field where it looks like the fighting has come to a stop. I spot my dad in the crowd, he looks like he's being held back by some of the students, while Vardemus is holding his umbrella like a bat, ready to swing the moment my dad breaks free. "Dad!" I run faster until I'm inches from him.

"Ms. Saltzman, good your here, perhaps you can calm your barbaric father down." Vardemus says.

"Why, you..." My father begins, but I interrupt.

"Dad." He stops, looks at me, and calms down a bit. His students relax their hold on him and get in the school bus. "I'll take it from here Headmaster Vardemus." 

"Good." Vardemus straightens his outfit. "And just so you are aware, you father is forbidden to enter these premises from here on out." Vardemus states as he walks away. I turn to my dad and raise my eyebrow at him.

"Don't give me that look." Dad says.

"When this happened last year, you told Lizzie and I we were lucky not to end up in jail, and then you made us all do community service, so should we be expecting you tomorrow morning to help with clean up?" I ask sarcastically.

"Very funny." My dad gets quiet, he's seems hesitant about something. "Do you, do you think I stiffened your abilities, that I treated you all like animals in a zoo?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Just please answer the question."

"I think, during your vampire hunting days, you saw supernaturals at their worst, and when you and mom built the school, because of that you set in place certain rules, along with a certain contingency plan." My dad lets out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah maybe, or I was just a horrible headmaster who almost got his students killed, almost...got his daughter killed." I immediately hug my father, and he hugs me back tightly.

"You weren't a horrible headmaster, you just needed to have more faith in us." I pull away from my father just slightly. "Landon told me after the first half of the game, everyone decided to play the second half without powers."

"They decided that on their own?" My father asks surprised.

"Yeah." I respond. My father has a proud look on his face.

"Maybe you're right." My dad looks over at the bus, all his students are on it. "I should get going, before I do, do you know if Hope managed to turn Raf and defeat the monster?"

"Yeah, she's headed to the hospital to check on the quarterback."

"Ok, I better head out then. Just one last thing, be careful around that new headmaster of yours, I have an uneasy feeling about him." I nod my head in acknowledgement and watch as my father gets on the bus, as soon as he does the bus takes off and heads for the gates.

**HOPE**

As I was drawing the Shunka in my journal, I thought about how today was the first time since leaving Malivore, I didn't mind that the girl I love has forgotten I exist. I learned something new about her today, something I never knew during our time together, something I never thought to ask before. I wonder if I'll have another moment like that with Josie, a moment where I learn something new about her. "Hope?" I look up from my drawing to see an upset Maya approaching me. I stand to meet her halfway. "Hey." I say. "What are you doing here?" She asks. "I just, I wanted to see how you and Ethan were doing after the game." I reply. "He worked so hard for that scholarship." Maya starts crying. "And now it's over." A take a step towards her and hug her, she hugs me back. I can't believe that new headmaster allowed something like this to happen, this sort of thing would have never happened if Alaric was still headmaster. 

**JOSIE**

When I get back to school the first thing I do is take a long shower. I put something comfortable on and try to go to bed, but I can't sleep. I didn't want to risk waking Lizzie up with my restlessness, so I leave our room and sit across the fireplace in the common room. Thoughts of Hope fill my head, the way her magic felt when I siphoned from her, how close we were to each other before we heard the Shunka, possible flirting, and most of all, how I feel towards her. Both times I have been with her, I've felt nothing but peace, warmth, and love? And I should feel bad because I'm with Landon, but for some reason I don't. "Hey." I snap out of my thoughts when I hear Landon's greeting. "Hey, how's Raf?" I ask.

"Adjusting." Landon replies as he sits next to me.

"I'm sorry I left you to your own devices. I just needed to know what Hope was up to."

"I'm glad you did, and I'm sorry for my behavior, I don't know why I acted like that." I wrap my arm around his and place my head on his shoulder.

"There's something you need to know." 

"What?"

"The monsters are back, and Hope says they're after you this time." Landon looks at me shocked.

"That's impossible, I may not remember how I destroyed Malivore, but when I woke up the pit was gone." Landon starts to panic.

"I know, I don't know how they're back, or why, just that they are, and this time they're after you." Landon places his head on his knees for a moment, then picks his head up and looks at me.

"I'd really like to kiss you now, if that's ok?" I immediately kiss Landon, and we kiss until air becomes a necessity.

"Listen to me, whatever monsters are coming for you from Malivore, are gonna have to go through me. I'm not gonna let them get you, I promise." Landon leans in closer to me, and I wrap my other arm around him and hold him tightly. I may not know why I feel the way I do towards Hope, but what I do know is I care very deeply for Landon, and I keep my promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I got the inspiration for Josie's explanation of siphoning from TVD 8x14. Kai is speaking with Caroline about Josie and Lizzie's magic, and his own experience with it. I did take some liberations of course, let me know what you think.


	4. SINCE WHEN DO YOU SPEAK JAPANESE?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of a samurai, Hope and Josie track down a demon.

** SINCE WHEN DO YOU SPEAK JAPANESE? **

** HOPE **

"Hope Marshall to the principal's office." The PA system, really Alaric. I turn around from the classroom I was about to go to, and head straight to Alaric's office.

"PA system? it's a little dramatic don't you think?" I ask as I take a seat.

"Not as dramatic as the message Landon left me, saying he had something urgent to discuss." Crap. "Anything you want to share?" I thought I'd be able to keep the whole monsters want Landon thing to myself a bit longer to avoid this conversation. 

"Only that I'm pretty sure the monsters are after him this time."

"And you didn't think that that's something I should know?"

"More like I was afraid of what you were gonna say after that."

"Hope, you need to go back to the Salvatore School." 

"That was it." I say knowingly.

"Not for your sake, for theirs. Maybe Landon isn't that important to you, but if Malivore wants him, we need to want him more."

"Look, I will take care of it, but from a distance."

"Ok, what am I missing here Hope? Hmm? You told me the truth, and everything worked out fine."

"Not the whole truth." Alaric hums in response. "If I go back there, I will have to see him with her everyday, and I can't. I don't think my heart could take it."

"What exactly are you talking about?"

"Josie and I, we were together." Alaric is surprised by this. "We were in love, like, real love. Epic love, if that even exists."

"I can assure you it does."

"Now, she's with Landon, and they don't know what we were to each other."

"Don't you think she deserves to know the truth?"

"Of course she does, and I wanted to tell her the first night I got back from Malivore, but I saw her with Landon. So, I was gonna hop a bus to New Orleans, get my Aunt Freya to help me with a memory recovery spell, but then the cyclops appeared, and I found out it was after Landon, and if the monsters are after Landon, that means Josie is in danger too..."

"Hope."

"The point is, I have to keep my distance, so I'm sorry, but I'm not going back to Salvatore." There's a knock at the door, we look to see it's the sheriff.

"Sorry to interrupt." She says.

"No, it's ok." I stand up. "I was just leaving, I will see you at the pep rally." I say as I leave.

"See you there. I hope you consider the transfer. I can put in a good word for you at the Salvatore School." I hear Alaric say as I walk out of his office.

**JOSIE**

I was in my room sitting on my bed with five grimoires open in front of me. I was reading through them and taking notes when I heard a knock on my door. "Come in." I say not looking up from my work. "Ah, I see your taking full advantage of the grimoires I had placed in the library." I look up to see Vardemus entering my room with a book in hand. "Yeah, thanks for that by the way. I can't believe my father had these locked away." I say as I continue to take notes. "I can." Vardemus states. I look back up at him.

"Did you need something from me?" I ask.

"Actually I wanted to give you something." Vardemus hands me the book he's holding. "I know you checked out these grimoires because the monsters have returned, and you want to better yourself, become stronger to protect Landon, I thought this could help you as well." I grab the book, as soon as I do I feel black magic radiating from it, I immediately drop it on my bed.

"That's a black magic grimoire isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"I can't accept that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's against school policy, and for good reason. I've personally felt the effects of using black magic and it sucks, not to mention it affects my sister as well."

"Ah yes, that twin bond of yours. If it helps, I may have something that can help with those effects." I stand from my bed, pick up the grimoire and hand it back to him.

"Thank you, really, the fact that you would trust me with this means a lot, but I refuse to use black magic." Vardemus takes it back.

"I would urge you not to limit yourself. Black magic has it's place in our craft."

"My dad always said the exact opposite."

"Of course. I cannot think of a single reason why he would want to limit your exceptional abilities." Vardemus walks over to my door, before he exits he turns to me. "If you ever have need to talk, my door is always open." He opens the door and exits my room.

As soon as he leaves I close the grimoires and put my notes away. I decide I need to get out of school for a while. Maybe go grab a milkshake from the Mystic Grill, check on dad, make sure he's ok after the fight. I get my backpack and head out towards the school gates. As I'm approaching them I hear Dorian speaking with someone, I listen closely and hear the person he's speaking to speak Japanese. I quickly make my over to the gate. "Konichiwa." I say as I stand next to Dorian. I then ask the...samurai who he is.

"Since when do you speak Japanese?" Dorian asks.

"Since Lizzie's old therapist was next to a Japanese language school." I reply. I ask for his name again.

"Kurutta." He replies.

"What's he saying?"

"He's crazed? Kurutta. Oh, I think that's his name. Also, another word for crazed." I continue to listen to what Kurutta is saying. "He's a demon hunter? Looking for an Oni, which is like a demon-ghost-monster kind of a thing."

"Sounds like that's our next Malivore monster."

"Then the Oni's probably wherever Landon is." Kurutta continues to explain further. "Uh, he said he followed his sword here." Kurutta holds up his sword, it has Japanese lettering that glows red. "It glows around jinstu-riki? Oh, oh, supernaturals." 

"Ok, makes sense why he would end up here, but I've never seen one of those." Dorian points to Kurutta's mask. Kurutta grabs his mask, then gets into a fighting stance as he speaks.

"He said that we wouldn't know if the Oni was here or not." He then points between Dorian and I. "It possess people, and it could be anywhere, in anyone." I give Dorian a troubled look. 

**HOPE**

I was on my way to class, I was running a bit late, when I heard Landon. What the hell is he doing here? Is he here with Josie? No, she'd be in class right now. I walk to the sound of his voice, I spot him talking to Rafael, but Raf isn't himself, he's growling at Landon, oh crap. " _Scalare_." I use the spell to keep Raf from pouncing Landon. "Hope? How are you always in the right place at the right time?" Landon asks. "That's funny. I was just thinking the exact opposite thing." I reply.

** JOSIE **

"There you are." I say to my sister as I enter our room. "I need you."

"Whatever it is, it's going to have to wait, I have a date with Sebastian today." Lizzie says as she turns away from the mirror to look at me. I'm about to say something when I hear Kurutta yelling in the hallway, I gesture for my sister to wait, and I go out into the hallway and bring Kurutta inside our room. "Um, who is that?" Lizzie asks.

"Long story, short version, he is a samurai/demon hunter who lost his Oni, and the only way we can kill it is with his demon-banishing sword before it carries off Landon into Malivore. Can you come?"

"If you have a samurai/demon hunter with a demon-banishing sword it doesn't sound like you need me, now if you excuse me I have to finish getting ready for my date."

"Yeah, remember how many dates I had to cancel with Penelope to help you with your shenanigans, which in case you've forgotten, lead to us breaking up, her messing with me after our break up, and torturing you every chance she got." 

"Fine, I'll reschedule." 

"Ah, thank you, thank you, thank you." I say as I hug my sister. I hear Kurutta talking to us, and Lizzie pulls away from our hug. I turn to Kurutta, he's tapping his forehead and pointing towards Lizzie. 

"He's talking about me, isn't he? He's calling me crazy." 

"No, no, he's talking about the Oni. It possess people, makes them act crazy."

"Well then I retract my offer. My mental health is the most precious thing that I have, Jo. I cannot risk crazy, I'm sorry." Kurutta draws his sword, the lettering is glowing red, he spots some students in the hallway and chases after them, I tell him to wait as I run after him. 

**HOPE**

After I knocked out Rafael, I sent Landon to fetch Alaric, he carried him to the back of his car, as Rafael began to stir awake again, I put him back to sleep. " _Ad somnum._ " I turn to Landon, annoyed with him. "What were you two even doing here?" I ask. "Looking for answers, I wanted to speak with Dr. Saltzman, but since your here, maybe you can tell me how you know the monsters are after me this time." Landon replies.

"Because the first monster I came across was a cyclops that was tracking you, and last week a Shunka caught your scent on Josie and went after her thinking she was you. Any other questions?" I ask, but Landon says nothing.

"What was your scent doing on Josie?" Alaric asks sternly, and Landon starts stumbling over his words, I can't help but smile.

"Look, uh, Mr. Saltzman, I swear nothing happened."

"Uh huh." Alaric simply says.

"We just, we just cuddle, that's-that's it." Landon says nervously. Alaric is about to say something else when we hear Josie.

"Dad?"

"Sweetie! Wha-what are you doing here, and what's up with the samurai?" We all look at the samurai questionably. The samurai starts talking and gesturing towards Landon.

"We came to protect the bonsai-headed boy, I think." The samurai speaks with Josie and gestures towards Alaric and I. Josie replies back.

"What's he saying?" I ask.

"Oh, he wanted to know who you and dad were. I told him you were both warriors, like him." Josie replies. Alaric and I look at each other briefly then look back at Josie and smile.

"I'm a phoenix, in-in case he was wondering." Landon says, and Alaric and I both give him an unimpressed look.

"Don't think he was." I say, and he gives me an annoyed look.

**JOSIE**

"Ok, just because she's supernatural doesn't mean we can trust her. I mean, she shouldn't even be here, what's a supernatural doing going to a regular school anyway?" Landon asks.

"Look, I will take all the help I can get, even from him." My dad turns to me. "So, ask him to tell us everything we should know." I nod my head.

"Kurutta-san." I gesture for him to explain, he stands up from sitting on the curb, as he began telling us his story he made his way back to my side. "He was dropped on his head as a baby. Went to samurai school to learn discipline. He learned to slay Oni demons, which is what we're chasing." My dad nods his head in understanding. "He was a hero. All the women begged to Kurutta-san..." He began to say things I couldn't understand, but if he's body language was anything to go by..."Whoa, whoa, I don't even know that word, but it cannot be relevant."

"Josie, the point, let's get to it." My dad says, getting slightly impatient.

"Kurutta spent months tracking down an Oni that possessed people, moving from person to person by touch. He was just about to kill it when it found it's way into the body of a child and escaped him yet again. He gave chase and caught the demon, but he could not bring himself to harm an innocent child. So, instead, he made an impossible choice and he took the Oni into himself, but it was then that he realized, unlike everyone else who had been possessed and remembered nothing, he was still partly in control of his faculties. He thinks the Oni found it harder to possess his broken mind, his words not mine. He tried to stab himself with his sword, and the Oni wouldn't let him. So, he decided to never touch a person again, so that it could never possess anyone else, and then Malivore, eternity of nothingness, deep psychological torment. He came through an ana? I think he's talking about a portal.

"Portal?" Hope speaks up. "Uh, where?" I look at Kurutta for an answer, but he has no idea.

"Sorry, he's not familiar with Mystic Falls, or this time for that matter. The only reason he even found the school is because he followed his sword, then he followed me here." 

"How do we kill the demon?" Landon asks.

"Uh, with his sword. It's spelled with a special kind of magic, so if we can just find the Oni..." There's a loud banging sound coming from my dad's car.

"Not a problem." Hope says, just as she says that the door flies open, Kurutta unsheathes his sword and tries to slash Rafael, who I guess is possessed? Rafael jumps, Kurutta goes after him again.

"Wait, no, no, no!" My dad exclaims. Kurutta continues to try to slash Rafael.

" _Motus._ " Hope says and the sword flies from Kurutta's hand, he then tries to punch Rafael, but he blocks his attacks, and throws him at a bus. Rafael stops fighting and looks to us, he then runs off. I run up to Kurutta to check on him. He says something I turn to everyone to translate.

"He said that could've gone better." I turn back to Kurutta and he passes out.

**HOPE**

Alaric and I run back to the school to find Rafael, we run into the gym, where the pep rally is still happening. "Damn. I wonder if Raf already touched someone." I say to Alaric. "Yeah, just look for anyone acting strange or erratic." We see the football team huddled together, swaying from side to side screaming, 'Timberwolves! Timberwolves! Timberwolves! Timberwolves!' I look at Alaric with a pointed look. "You mean besides the football team." The sheriff then appears in front of us, she has a worried look on her face. "There's a student that needs your help." The sheriff leads us to the boys locker, Alaric and I enter and find Raf, sitting on one of the benches, shaking, he's scared.

"Raf?" I ask him, I'm not sure if he's still possessed, or he's just simply losing control. He was in werewolf form for a while. I kneel in front of him, I'm about to place my hand on his knee.

"Hope, wait. Don't touch him." Alaric says, but I ignore him.

"Raf." I place my hand on his knee, nothing happens. "Hey...oh, yeah, that's you isn't it?" I ask.

"Yeah...um, I wasn't in control back there."

"It's ok. I-I can help you. I-I just need to know if there's anyone that you've touched, or who might've touched you."

"Um, I don't remember any of it."

"Ok." Damn, this isn't good, the demon could be anywhere, in anyone.

**JOSIE**

" _Inteo._ " I turn and see Landon looking at me curiously. "Barrier spell, which means that no one can get in or out without me saying so, including you."

"Josie, you know I'm a phoenix, right? I'm not a sitting duck. We have other options here."

"Ok, name one."

"Malivore sent the Oni for me. So, I say we let the demon possess me, and then you kill me with this sword." Landon grabs the sword from the table. "Demon gets vanquished, I resurrect, we win."

"I'm not handing you to some demon to find out."

"This is exactly what I wanted to talk to your dad about. Forcing everyone else to put themselves in danger to stop whatever monster's coming after me next is an unsustainable solution."

"No, landfills are an unsustainable solution. Keeping you alive is not. End of discussion." I try to grab the sword, but as soon as I touch it I cry out in pain.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's spelled with black magic, a lot of it. Another reason we are not doing this." I turn around to leave.

"W-wait, where are you going?"

"To get back up." I walk through the barrier, I hear Landon try to come with me, but the barrier spell stops him. I walk the hallways until I find my dad and Hope. "Did you find Raf?" I ask them.

"Yeah, we sent him back to campus. The Oni wasn't in him, so it could be anywhere. I'll find it." My dad says.

"As long as you convince Landon not to sacrifice himself to stop this thing."

"That might not actually be a bad idea. We get the Oni to possess Landon, stab Landon with the sword, the demon gets vanquished, and Landon rises from the ashes." Hope says, did she really just say that.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What? He's a phoenix, he can't die Josie."

"There's always a way to kill something Hope, nothing lives forever." Hope seems to have a somber look when I say this. "Nature always creates a loophole to ensure that, and that sword could very well be that loophole for Landon. It's spelled with black magic, a lot of it, I can barely stand to touch it." Hope doesn't say anything, she just crosses her arms over her chest and looks down on the ground. "You know what just forget, it's clear you could care less about what happens to him, so why don't the both of you continue to look for the Oni, while I go make sure my boyfriend doesn't do anything stupid." I turn around and walk away.

"Boyfriend?" I hear my dad say, but I keep walking.

"Josie!" I hear Hope run after me. I feel her grab my wrist and turn me to face her.

"What?" I ask. She places her hands on my arms, and when she does, I feel so calm, like I wasn't just mad at her a moment ago.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested we hand over your boyfriend and kill him. It was stupid."

"Thanks." I say.

"Are you ok? After grabbing that sword, you said it was spelled with black magic."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Look, I'll talk to Landon, I'll try to talk some sense into him."

"What if you can't?"

"Then I'll knock him out and tie him up." I can't help but smile at that.

"Why do I get the feeling you'd actually enjoy that."

"What tying him up?" Hope laughs.

"Knocking him out." Hope just smiles at that.

**HOPE**

"Hey." I enter Alaric's office, Landon is standing by the samurai. "Josie dropped the barrier spell so I could get in. There's a demon loose inside the school somewhere, we have to get you somewhere safe." I tell Landon, reluctantly.

"There is nowhere safe." Landon states.

"Ok, well, somewhere safer than here." I take a step towards Landon, when I do so I notice the sword on the table, I pick it up. "Josie is worried that if this thing can kill an Oni, it's possible that it's the one thing that can kill a phoenix too." Landon doesn't say anything, he just takes the sword and goes back over to the samurai.

"You don't seem to care wither I live or die."

"It doesn't matter what I care about." I say as I walk towards him. "Josie cares if you live or die, and if you die it will break her heart, and I will not let you do that to her."

"Why do you care if I break her heart, you don't even know her." He says that so nonchalantly, I'm honestly starting to get pissed off.

"She's my friend, I don't want to see her heartbroken."

"It's more than that isn't it." I don't say anything at first, but with the way he's acting I could care less how he'll react.

"We were in love, Josie and I. I know you don't remember, neither does she, but just because she doesn't remember, just because she's with you, doesn't mean I ever want to see her hurt. So, we have to find another solution, one that doesn't involve you being possessed."

"It's too late." What? Landon then grabs a potted plant from the file cabinet and hits me across the head with it, it knocks me unconscious. I'm not sure how long I was out for, the next thing I remember is Alaric shaking me awake, helping me up and walking me over to the couch. A few minutes later Josie walked into Alaric's office.

"What happened? Where's Landon?" Josie asks.

"Josie, just give her a second." Alaric tells Josie. She looks over at me and notices my injury, she's immediately at my side.

"Oh my god, please tell me Landon didn't do this." She places her hand on my face and turns it to inspect my injury, and I have to force myself to steady my breathing, my heart rate.

"Landon was possessed." I tell her.

"How?"

"Uh, we thought Raf was gonna pass the Oni on to somebody at the pep rally. Kurutta must've been possessed after Raf attacked him." Alaric goes over to a sitting Kurutta whose facing the window, he turns him over to reveal a dead Kurutta with his throat slit. Josie turns her head.

"The Oni waited to be alone with Landon, took control of him..." I began to explain.

"And Sayonara samurai." Alaric finishes. Josie has a worried look, I take one of her hands that's on my face and give it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, we're gonna find him. He's probably headed towards the portal Kurutta was telling us about."

"We don't even know where that is though." Josie says.

"Do you have something of Landon's? Cause you both can do a locator spell." Alaric says as he grabs a bag.

"Yeah, but that's not mine." Josie states and she lets go of me to grab something from her bag, it's a letter. I had a deja vu moment then, when we used a letter that Landon had given me to locate him. I grab hold of the letter.

"Love note?" I'm abut to open the letter when Josie grabs it from my hand.

"No peaking." I just smile and hold out my hands for her.

"Come on and get your fix." I tease her. She shakes her head at me and grabs my hands, we chant the spell to locate Landon.

**JOSIE**

Once Hope and I found where Landon was we quickly left the school and rushed over to his location. But when we got there I noticed Landon was on the ground, and Lizzie was chained to a tree. "Landon!." I get down to check on Landon, but he's not moving, and he doesn't appear to be breathing, Hope kneels beside me to inspect Landon as well. I look up at Lizzie. "Lizzie are you ok?" Why is she chained to the tree? "No, I'm super crazy, but at least there's a reason this time. The demon's in me." Lizzie's eye glow red, oh no. Hope immediately gets up to try to get the chains off of Lizzie, but Lizzie lets out a growl, and Hope stops and backs up.

"Oh, sorry, that's embarrassing. We haven't met yet have we? I'm Lizzie." Lizzie sticks her hand out to shake, but Hope backs away, she comes over to where Landon is, and I walk up to Lizzie confusion written all over my face.

"I don't understand. If the Oni is in you, then how are you talking?" I ask Lizzie.

"I don't know, but I-I can feel it in my head, trying to take over. I don't know how much longer... _never mind. It's gone, you can untie me..._ I didn't say that, it did ok. Still in me, so don't... _listen to me, I'm fine. We should probably get out of here before we..._ Ok, you have to stop me, please. Otherwise, this thing is gonna win." All this back and forth with the demon was really starting to confuse and scare me.

"She's fighting the demon somehow, like Kurutta did." Hope observes.

"I already know I'm crazy ok. You don't have to rub it in." Lizzie states.

"Kurutta was not crazy and neither are you." I tell Lizzie.

"Where's dad? I just want dad." Lizzie says scared, I can see tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Kurutta fought the Oni for years ok. If you can just give us a little bit of time, then we can..."

"No." Lizzie interrupts Hope. "I can't live like this anymore. Sebastian isn't real." The tears start streaming down her face. "This whole time I thought I was better, but I have just been seeing things, and hearing things, and feeling things that no one else does, and it's scary. Scarier than any demon in my head, although; that sucks too."

"Lizzie, Lizzie, it's ok, ok? We're gonna fix you." I tell her to try to calm her, but it doesn't work.

"There's no fixing me Jo. I am just shattered. The pieces are to small to put back together. Tell dad that I love him, but you have to end this."

"What?" I question her.

"Whoa. I know that we just met, but there's no way that we are gonna let that happen." Hope states.

" _You have no choice. This will not stop until you give me the boy._ " It's the demon again.

"Lizzie? Lizzie, you got to fight this thing." Now I'm starting to cry. I have to help my sister, I can't lose her.

" _Fighting is useless. Malivore still lives, and his control over us is stronger than ever. Soon, the likes of me will be the least of your concerns..._ Distracted during the monologue, classic villain mistake. Jo, you got to do this, for me ok. It's only a matter of time before you kick my ass in the merge anyway. And this is better than the merge, because this way you won't have to live with some messed-up part of me in your brain forever, driving you as crazy as I am." I can't believe she brought that up now, I turn away from her and walk a couple steps before I turn to her again.

"We weren't gonna talk about that until we had real solutions." I remind her.

"Well, maybe this is it... Josie, it's coming back, please." Lizzie then looks over at Hope. "You got to do it, if Josie won't do this, then you have to." I turn to Hope, then back to Lizzie, now I'm angry.

"No, don't you dare involve her. This is between you and I." I look down at the sword and pick it up. "There's so much black magic in it, it hurts to hold."

"Probably won't feel much better getting stabbed by it." Maybe if I pull the magic out of this, I might be able to get the Oni out of my sister. I begin to siphon from the sword, I feel the black magic enter my veins, once I do I drop the sword and look at my sister."

"I. Am not. Stabbing my sister!" I release all the black magic I absorbed into my sister. Eventually the Oni is pulled from my sister and disappears into a pit in the ground.

"You did it. I love you." My sister says.

"You better." I tell her before I pass out. 

**HOPE**

Useless, that's what I felt as I held Josie in my arms. Both sisters looking to me to help them, and all I could do was stand there dumbfounded. I didn't snap out of it until Josie had absorbed all the black magic from the sword and passed out after releasing it. As soon as she had passed out I ran to her side, I tried to get her to wake up, but she wouldn't. Her face had become pale, and beads of sweat were forming on her forehead. It was the after effect of using black magic, all magic usually came with a price, but the price was always higher when black magic was involved. I called Alaric and told him he needed to come quickly and take care of Landon and Lizzie. He tried asking what was going on, but I hung up and picked up Josie. I took her someplace where no one would bother us and tried waking her up again. "Josie wake up, please wake up." She stayed asleep for a few more moments before waking up, I let out a sigh of relieve and immediately brought our foreheads together. "You scared me." I said to her before leaning back.

"I don't feel too well." Josie said. I put a hand on her cheek and ran the pad of my thumb across her cheek.

"It's the black magic you absorbed." I say to her.

"Vardemus, he says he has something that could help."

"Ok, I'll take you to the school now." I'm about to pick up Josie again, but she stops me.

"Just, just give me a minute, please."

"Ok." I pull Josie closer to me, and sob escapes me. Josie notices this and places a hand on my cheek.

"You seem really worried for someone you barely know." I grab her hand from my cheek and hold on to it.

"I could say the same about you. You've done your fair share of worrying about me." I point out.

"Yeah, I'm starting to think there's something going on between us, like there's some sort of pull or something." When she says that, I want nothing more than to tell her everything. I open my mouth to do so, but then I hear footsteps coming towards us, and then Landon comes into view, I immediately let go of Josie's hand, and loosen my grip on her.

"What the hell is going on?" Landon asks. I pick Josie up and walk over to Landon, handing her over to him.

"She had to absorb all the black magic from the samurai sword to exorcise the demon that entered her sister. She says your headmaster has something that can help with the side effects, you need to take her to him, now." I instruct Landon.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I know, but that's not what matters right now, right now she's what matters." I look to Josie who has passed out again. "Now go, before it gets worst." Landon turns around and runs off while I let out a heavy sigh. 

**JOSIE**

I'm not sure how long I was out for, the last thing I remember is speaking with Hope, and now I'm hearing this loud knock. I open my eyes, Landon is carrying me, and we're in Vardemus' office. "Mr. Kirby, Ms. Saltzman. What's wrong, what happened?" Vardemus asks as he stands from his desk. "I had to do black magic...it was the only way to save my sister." I reply. "Well, after this morning's declaration, I can only assume so." Vardemus states. "Please, she's sick. She mentioned you had something that could help." Landon says. Vardemus turns and grabs what looks to be an hourglass from a nearby cabinet. I gesture for Landon to let me down, he does so as Vardemus approaches with the hourglass, and sets it down on the table. "This is a mora miserium, a tool used by certain sects of witches to withhold ill effects of using such magic." Vardemus explains. "For how long?" I ask. "Indefinitely, so long as it doesn't shatter. Simply place your hands on the glass, and all will be as it should be." Vardemus says. I approach it and place a hand on the glass. All the residual black magic still inside me seeps it's way into the mora miserium. "I feel better, I think it's working." When I feel all the black magic leave my body, all that's left is a black cloud inside the mora miserium. "Yes, it is." Vardemus states.

**HOPE**

Alaric and I were in the woods, burying Kurutta, we had moved his body after Josie and I did a locator spell on Landon. We began burying him as soon as we got word Josie was alright. Alaric had placed his sword on the ground with his mask attached to it when he spoke up. "I should have been there tonight, with you and the girls. I got distracted from what matters most. Thank you, I don't know what would have happened to Lizzie or Josie if you hadn't been there." Alaric tells me. "They're stronger than you think, they didn't need my help." I say to him. "Maybe, and what about Josie?" He asks.

"For the last time, I'm not going back."

"Hope, you told me that you and my daughter shared an epic love, and you know what I saw that today. In the hallway, and again in my office, Josie may not remember you, but her feelings for you are there, they're just buried."

"I did almost tell her you know, and right when I was about to, Landon showed up." Alaric looks at me sympathetically. "Maybe your right, maybe she does still love me, her love is just buried. It doesn't change the fact that she's forgotten me, that's she's with Landon. I mean, what if I tell her everything and she still wants to be with Landon?"

"I don't know, but are you really gonna live the rest of your life without finding out?"

"What I found was the portal to Malivore, and what I'm gonna do is finish what I started at the pit, but this time, I'm gonna get it right."

**JOSIE**

After I got rid of all the black magic still inside me, I went to check on Lizzie, to make sure she was alright. When I got to our room, she was sound asleep. As I watched her sleep I couldn't help but think of all the things she said, especially about the merge. She thinks I'm the stronger twin because I don't have the same mental issues she does, but I always thought Lizzie was the strong one because of her mental issues. Because after each breakdown, each episode, she always manages to rise above it, she never lets it bring her down, and I don't think I could do that. I shake my head of those thoughts and turn to leave our room.

I head over to Landon's to check in on him. As I approach his door I hear him playing his guitar. I knock before entering. "Its beautiful." I say to him. "Hey, are you ok?" Landon asks and he sets his guitar down. "I'm good, I'm worried about Lizzie. I kind of blasted her with enough black magic to exorcise an army out of her head." I reply, and suddenly a look of concern crosses his face. "That was a close call today Josie." I give a questioning look.

"I was the close call? You actually died Landon." 

"Yeah, but I came back, if you...if something happened to you, you wouldn't have. Ok, you didn't see the shape you were in after you absorbed all that black magic, alright I was worried about you." I take his hand into mine and give it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry, but now you know how I felt when you suggested we let the Oni possess you, and then kill you to exorcise it."

"Yeah...I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry I let the Oni possess me."

"That's not your fault, we all thought Raf was still possessed, ok. That was not on you." Landon nods his head in understanding, he then kisses me, as I kiss him back it gets heated. He lays me down on his bed, he then breaks the kiss to remove his shirt, but I stop him. "Not yet." Landon looks a little disappointed when I stop him, but he doesn't object. "But soon." He lays down next, and I turn to face him.

"Can you, can you stay, just for tonight?" I place my hand on his cheek and nod my head yes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took longer than the first 3. I try to get a new chapter out as fast as I can.


	5. SCREW ENDGAME

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzie remembers Hope, and tries to convince her to tell Josie the truth.  
> This is admittedly my favorite episode so far.

** SCREW ENDGAME **

** JOSIE **

I woke up before Landon did, I would have waited till he woke up before leaving, but I had to check on Lizzie, and I didn't want to disturb his sleep, so I slipped out of his bed and left him a note. I then went over to my room expecting Lizzie to still be in bed, instead when I entered our room I found her snooping around in my things. "Ah, not that I'm not glad to see you up and about, but why are you going through my things?" I ask her. 

"Oh there you are." Lizzie says distracted. "Where were you? I woke up and you weren't here." Lizzie asks.

"I stayed over at Landon's. What are you looking for?" Lizzie stops what she's doing. 

"Did you two...?"

"No, I just stayed over, he was worried because of all the black magic I absorbed."

"Good, and to answer your question, I'm looking for a necklace." Lizzie says as she goes over to my night stand and opens up the top drawer. She takes out a box and I immediately go over and take the box from her and put it down.

"Lizzie you are freaking me out. You were just hit with a blast of black magic last night, and now I find you looking through my stuff for a necklace? Tell me what's going on. Are you ok?"

"Sorry, yes I'm ok, great actually."

"Are you sure?" I ask double checking.

"Yes." Lizzie replies, I look at her, looking for signs that she's lying, or trying to hide what's really going on, but I see no indicators that she's doing any such thing.

"Ok, I believe you, now what necklace are you looking for?"

"The one you got for our birthday, the one that's charmed to make quiet things heard." Oh, that necklace. I open the box Lizzie had grabbed and pull out the necklace she is describing.

"Do you need it, because I think people hear you just fine." Lizzie gives me a pointed look.

"No, I've just noticed you haven't worn it in months, and I think it's about time that you do."

"Why? I don't even remember who gave it to me." My sister has this look I don't recognize.

"All the more reason to start wearing it again, so you can remember." I give Lizzie a confused look. "Anyway, now that you have the necklace, I have to go into town. I have an errand to run." Lizzie is about to walk out of our room when I speak up.

"Wait a minute what about the decade dance? You're planning it."

"Sorry Jo, but this is really important, just take over for me until I get back, it shouldn't be long." Lizzie turns and leaves our room, leaving my dumbfounded.

I look at the necklace Lizzie was looking for, there was a reason I stopped wearing it. Every time I would look at it I would feel this longing, this heartbreak, and then I would just start crying, and it would be hours before I stopped. I was already feeling the tightness in my chest, and the tears starting to form in my eyes. I threw the necklace back in the box and slammed the box lid closed. I still couldn't figure out why I would feel this way sometimes, but tonight wasn't going to be the night I figured it out, I had a dance to plan, apparently.

**HOPE**

Ever since I found out where the portal was, I had been spending most of my time here. I was sitting in the grass doing sit-ups waiting for another monster to appear when I heard Lizzie. "Hope Andrea Mikaelson." When I hear Lizzie use my full name I immediately stand up and turn to face her.

"What?" I ask, not believing that Lizzie actually remembers me.

"It's official. I remember everything." Lizzie walks in my direction until she's standing directly in front of me. "When I wok up from that spell Josie blasted me with, you popped into my messed up brain like an acid flashback."

"How? You are literally the only person on the planet who knows that I exist." I'm about to hug Lizzie but she stops me.

"Epic former frenemy reunion is gonna have to wait. We have bigger drama." Lizzie suddenly has a look of disgust on her face. "Josie and Landon are having sex tonight."

"What?" There's no way things could be that serious between them already.

"There's this decade dance." Lizzie says as if that explains everything.

"Ok, well, that doesn't mean..." Lizzie interrupts me.

"Last night Josie slept over in Landon's room, and this morning Rafael stopped me in the hall before I left the school to come and find you. He asked if I could find an excuse to stay with a friend, or my dad. You have to stop it. Speak your truth, spill your beans, tell your tale."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"Because she should hear the truth from you." Lizzie and I hear a boiling sound coming form the small pit, we both turn to see what monster will come out. "Ugh, not a good time." In a flash of smoke a woman dressed in...80's attire appears.

"Who the hell are you?" I ask.

"I'm the Keeper." The 80's lady replies. Lizzie and I look at each other confused, then back at her. "Ah, this is going to be easy." She raises her right arm, revealing a golden bracelet and it glows. "Welcome to the game." She says and then she disappears rather strangely.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Lizzie says. I turn to head to the school, Lizzie follows.

"We have to get to the school to protect Landon, whatever monster that was, is going to be after him."

"More like protect Josie from Landon, get your priorities straight. We need to warn her she's about to have sex with a human-sized muppet." Lizzie and I step out into the street only to get hit by the...Back to the Future car? We wake up where the pit is and sit up. "What just happened?"

"I think the game just started."

**JOSIE**

"All right, everybody work together, Lizzie will be here soon, and trust me you do not want only 98 red balloons." As I'm looking around making sure everyone does what they are supposed to, I spot Landon, he smiles and waves at me, I return the smile and wave. He then turns to help move one of the tables. 

"So..." I turn to see Raf standing beside me. "Landon tells me things are getting pretty intense."

"Uh, yeah."

"And it's a dance."

"So?"

"He thinks it's gonna happen tonight, even had me ask Lizzie to stay somewhere other than your room tonight."

"What?" I say surprised. "There's no way, it's too early in our relationship for that." I whisper yell.

"How long did you and Penelope date before you two had sex?"

"Ahhh, that's non of your business." Raf chuckles at that.

"That soon uh?" I smack him on the arm.

"Things were different with Penelope ok." Rafael hums at that.

"Ok." I continue walking the room with Raf following me. "Look, if you're not ready, just tell Landon, he won't pressure you into anything you're not ready for." I give him a small smile. "Just one more personal question, and I'll stop ok?"

"Fine."

"How did you know you were ready with Penelope?" I stop walking when he asks that.

"Well, at the time I was in my sisters shadow, no one had really noticed me, the only time they did was when they needed something from me, but not her. She was the first person to notice me, to see me as more than just Lizzie's shadow, so naturally I fell for her, and a few weeks later we started dating, and one day in the common room I was with Lizzie, she was talking to some boy, and Penelope was across the room, and she looked at me like I was the only person in that room..and that's when I knew."

"Wow, that's pretty intense."

"Yeah." A balloon pops and Raf gets startled, he looks around like he's about to get attacked. "Raf." I slowly approach him and place my hands on his shoulders. "Hey." Raf looks at me.

"I'm cool." He backs away from me. "Just a little jumpy."

"You've been a little jumpy a lot lately. If all this stuff is too much, you don't have to..." Raf interrupts me.

"Exposure therapy. It's, uh, supposed to be good for me. Plus, I want to be able to handle the dance tonight." Raf explains.

"In case Hope happens to accept the invitation you had me send her on your behalf?"

"I just want to thank her. She turned me back and helped me after I was possessed by the Oni. Plus she's supernatural, why shouldn't she come to the party?"

"You're right, she should come, after all the monsters she's fought off, she deserves a break." Raf nods in agreement with me. 

**HOPE**

"Ok, let's try this again." I say as Lizzie and I approach the street we previously died in.

"So, since we're trapped here, are we ever gonna talk about how you came back from Malivore and decided not to tell any of us?" Lizzie asks as we look both ways.

"Sorry, I'm a little bit busy keeping us from being road kill. _Projectium deflecta._ That should protect us." Lizzie and I attempt to cross the street again, only to die...again. "I don't think we have magic here." I observe.

"Or you just did the spell wrong." Lizzie attempts to siphon from me, but nothing happens.

"How's that siphoning going." I shake her hand off me.

"Ok, fine. There's obviously no magic, and we're in some sort of a death maze from hell, and why...is it the 80's?

"Speaking of, have you ever played Frogger?" Lizzie and I go back to the street, this time I place one foot on the road and wait until I hear the car approaching, as soon I hear it I step back to the curb, the car passes us, but as it does we are splashed with water. Lizzie and I notice a clothing store across from us. We quickly cross the street and enter the clothing store. We pick out some clothes and head to the fitting room, Lizzie and I exit the fitting room at the same time and look over each other's outfits. "Acid wash is clearly your thing." I compliment Lizzie.

"Right? You kind of look fierce too." Lizzie compliments.

"Thank you, but now we got to get out of here."

"Oh, my hair is still wet." Lizzie plugs in the hair dryer and we both die again. "Should have seen that one coming."

**JOSIE**

"Josie, may I make a suggestion about the dance floor?" Vardemus asks, we were looking over the decorations together making sure everything was perfect.

"Aren't you supposed to be having brunch with you father?" Oh crap I completely forgot.

"Dad. Hey, I'm sorry."

"Principal Saltzman, I'm afraid I must remind you that you are prohibited from being here." Vardemus then looks at me. "By court order." He then turns back to my dad.

"Relax Fumbledore. I cleared it with the sheriff. I'm here as a concerned parent, as both my daughters recently experienced a traumatic event." My dad explains.

"The samurai and the Oni Demon? Josie told me all about it, I even helped with the residual black magic that still resided in her." My dad looked like he wanted to punch Vardemus again.

"I'm ok. Thank you for checking in, but everything's fine."

"Mm-hmm. Alright, but what about Lizzie? She was a no-show too. So, where is she?" My dad asks.

"She said she had an errand to run."

"Hmm, all right. Well, I'm not going anywhere until she gets back and I know that's she's ok too." 

**HOPE**

"We've never made it this far." Lizzie says, but she spoke too soon. I took a step and we both heard a beeping noise, we looked down to see that I had stepped on a landmine, it exploded and we both died and came back.

"A landmine? Really? What's wrong with this decade?" I ask.

"Reaganomics? Recreational cocaine? Jams?"

"If only there was a secret or-or a clue." I look around until I spot a clue store.

"Unless you see a clue store around here, Hope, then I don't think." Lizzie turns around and sees the clue store too. "Ok." We walk over to the clue store and I open the door, it's dark when we both enter, the Keeper is by the counter filing her nails when she spots us, she turns on the light, and the store lights up. 

"Oh, hey. Looking for something?" The Keeper asks.

"Yeah." I answer. "How do we get out of here?" I ask.

"And why are we in our grandparents' decade?" Lizzie questions.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, it's the only decade I know. Turns out you miss a lot of pop culture when guys in black suits drop you into a giant pit of goo. As for getting out of here goes, uh, you don't. You play the game until my pet feeds on you, and then you die. For reals, this game was specifically designed to kill beautiful maidens, so, I'd say it's a pretty good fit." The Keeper explains.

"Oh, so glad we stopped in. Let's go." Lizzie says, she attempts to lead me out, but the Keeper stops us.

"There is, um one way out. One of you agrees to take my place." Of course that would be the only way out. "Look, I was trapped here once too, ok. Just like you two, and I don't really feel like being the Keeper of the Game, like, forever. So, one of you agrees to wear this bracelet, you get to be the new me, and the other one is set free." She explains with a smile.

"Thanks, but, uh, no thanks." I take a step towards the exit, but she takes a step in front of me.

"Actually, I'm afraid there is no other option. Yeah, you take the deal, or my pet kills you. That's the endgame." Suddenly Lizzie and I hear a roaring sound. "Speak of the devil" Lizzie and I slowly turn towards the wall the roar is coming from, and we begin to hear hoofs running towards us. "I love this part." That's the last thing I hear before a freaking Minotaur burst through the wall!

"Oh my god!" I hear Lizzie exclaim as we start to run out of the store.

"Hurry, come on!" We run, and we don't stop running until we're out of the town and in the woods. "Ok, I think we lost him." I say.

"At least we finally made it out of the lame town square, no thanks to you, captain almost-stepped-on-the-landmine-again." Lizzie states.

"You killed us with a hair dryer, never forget." I point out. "The school's up this way." I point in the direction of the school and we start heading that way.

"If only there were something to talk about on the way. Some burning question, some mysterious choice that demanded an explanation."

"Ok, fine. I was gonna tell everyone that I was back, but then I saw Josie and Landon, and how happy they were. It just seemed like you all were better off without me." Lizzie steps in front of me and we stop walking.

"What is wrong with you? Do you really have that much of a martyr complex that you couldn't just, oh, I don't know ask one of us how we were doing?"

"Look, I know that it seems kind of..."

"Dumb? Selfish? Controlling?" 

"Painful." I say, though Lizzie may have a point.

"No one's been better off without you. Landon is just Landon, and Josie is just filling a void left by you. My dad is lonely, Raf's a mess again, and apparently I'm hallucinating boyfriends. If my broken mind can remember you, then maybe that spell Josie did could bring everyone's memories back. You and Josie are made for each other, which is why you need to tell Josie before she does the deed with Landon, because there will be no coming back from that." Lizzie turns and starts walking again, I follow her and realize something she said.

"You hallucinated a boyfriend?" I ask, but then we are hit with poison darts.

"Tell you in a second." We fall and die yet again. This continued on for a while until we had the traps mostly figured out. "I know you don't want to think about this, but the real world isn't resetting like this stupid one is, which means we are rapidly approaching Josie's unexpected journey there and back again, bear trap." Lizzie and I jump over the bear trap.

"I'm not gonna tell them about me." I state.

"Ugh, why not?"

"Because it's not gonna change anything, arrow." Lizzie and stop walking as an arrow swooshes by us.

"Sorry!" Someone says.

"Be more careful next time Frank!" Lizzie exclaims. "It would change everything."

"No, it won't. When I saw that portal, I knew that there was only one way to stop the monsters from coming. I'm just gonna have to jump back in and close it, everyone's just gonna forget me all over again. I was created to be the loophole that ends Malivore, it's the only reason I exist. It's my destiny. We hear the Minotaur coming after us again.

"Run." Lizzie says and we start running, the Minotaur is slowed down by a group of spears, as Lizzie and I run further and further, we avoid spear after spear, until we come to the edge of the forest. "Come on. The school should be right through here." We move some shrubs to the side only to be back in the town square.

"Oh, hey." It's the Keeper power walking past us. "Ready to take that deal yet?"

"I'm ready to take this maze and shove it up your..."

"Maze?" She interrupts Lizzie's threat. "Oh, no, this isn't a maze. It's a labyrinth, know the difference?"

"Do I look like a nerd?"

"Hmm."

"A maze has multiple paths, a labyrinth only has one." I respond.

"Exactly, as I said before, there's only one way this is going to end." She continues to power walk ahead of us.

"Granted, her legs are amazing, but she is a royal bitch. What are we gonna do?" Lizzie asks.

"We take the deal, and I stay behind." Lizzie looks at me with disbelief. "It has to be me. I'll take her place and then you can be set free."

"See? Capital M-artyr complex Hope."

"The Minotaur travesl with the Keeper right? So, if I stay behind it'll be trapped with me, and since the monsters only come one at a time, no other monster ever will. Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna know I'm gone, except you."

**JOSIE**

I had two dresses laid out on my bed, and I had the third one in front of me, these were my final picks and I wasn't sure which one to chose. I hear my door creak open and see my dad enter the room through my mirror. I guess Lizzie still hasn't showed up. "No, I haven't seen Lizzie. She's probably still out buying her Jane Fonda leotard." I tell my dad. "You voted for me to leave." Crap, how did he figure it out. I slowly turn to face my father. "Why?" He asks sadly.

"Because it's what you wanted. Dad, you put it to a vote. You knew that this place shouldn't be run by a human anymore, but you couldn't bring yourself to leave, so you had us make that choice for you." I explain to him.

"That sounds like something your mother would say."

"She also said that your dream was to create a place where we could learn to be ourselves, to be safe. You've done that, so now we have to move on to the next chapter of our lives. We have to learn to do this without you. Dad, I voted you out so you could have your own life, start dating, start letting us go, because we're fine because of you." I wipe a tear from my cheek I hadn't realized had fallen till just then. My dad looks over at my bed, then back at me.

"Definitely that one." My dad points to the dress I'm holding.

"Yeah?" He nods his head yes. "I picked out an outfit for you too."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mm-hmm." I put my dress down and go into my closet and grab a bag, I bring it out and hand it to him. He grabs a hat out of the bag first, and inspects it.

"Is this what I think it is?" My father asks as he continues to look through the bag.

"Looks like Lizzie might be fashionably late, can't have you standing out in the party, so I got you an 80's outfit I knew you could pull off, Indian Jones." My dad looks up at me and smiles.

"You remembered." He says with tears in his eyes.

"Of course, I remember everything about that day, even if there are parts of it I'd rather forget." My dad smiles and pulls me into a tight hug.

He then pulls away and leaves my room so that I can get ready. I take off my school clothes and slip into the dress my dad picked out. I fix my hair and put a flower in it, apply a little bit of make up, and grab the shawl from my bed and wrap it around my shoulders. I make my way down the stairs and spot Landon, he's dressed as Marty McFly from Back to the Future, and he seems to be pacing nervously. As I get closer to him he spots me and stops in his tracks, he stares at me like in absolute amazement.

"Hi." He says.

"Hi." I say back.

"Uh, you look amazing."

"Thank you, so do you Marty McFly." He smiles at that.

"Thank you, um, um." I look down at the corsage in his hands, and he remembers he has it. "Oh." He attempts to put it on my wrist, but has a little bit of trouble.

"What did you get up to today?" I ask him.

"Oh, you know, little bit of this, little bit of that." He finally puts the corsage on.

"You?" He asks.

"Same."

"Listen Raf told me what he said to you today, and I just want to apologize..."

"Landon..."

"No, it wasn't right for me to assume anything, I mean sex isn't even something we've discussed, and for me to just spring it up on you like that just because of a dance. It isn't fair to you, you're special, so I want it to be special. That moment we both look at each other and we both know."

"That sounds nice." I say with a smile.

"Let's just enjoy the dance." Landon wraps his arm around mine.

"Yeah." I point at the hallway behind us. "Dance is that way."

"I knew that." Landon and I turn around and he places his arm through mine again, we walk to the dance hall where it is fully decorated in an 80's theme, the music, the outfits, everything. We make our way to the dance floor where we see Kaleb and MG having a dance battle in the middle of the dance floor, with two other people beside them, each of them is dancing in sync. I've always wondered how people do that, just get on the dance floor and dance like they've been rehearsing for it this whole time. Eventually I lead Landon further into the dance floor, though he is hesitant at first, I eventually get him to dance.

**HOPE**

After our talk with the Keeper, Lizzie and I went back inside the woods, found a log to sit on and just stayed here, in complete silence, of course though Lizzie can't be silent for long. "I get why you think you need to take the deal. I exist for one reason too, to merge with my sister. That's our destiny, right?" Lizzie stands up from the log. "Unless I stayed here in a no-magic zone, maybe the merge wouldn't have to happen, and Josie would be safe." Lizzie explained, but there was no way in hell I was gonna let her stay here, if I did, Josie would never forgive me. "There's no way I'm gonna let you do that." I tell her. "I know." I feel a sudden pain across my head, did Lizzie just hit me with something?

** JOSIE **

Landon and I were spinning each other around on the dance floor when I noticed Raf, he looked like he was waiting for someone, I guess Hope still hadn't showed up. I stopped spinning with Landon for a moment and gestured towards Rafael, he turned to him, then back at me, understanding what I was conveying. We walk over to where Rafael is at and Landon taps his shoulder, he turns around to face us.

"Looks like exposure therapy worked." I compliment Raf.

"Yeah I guess." Raf says distracted.

"Hope still hasn't shown up?" Landon asks.

"No, and I don't think she's going to. I think I'm gonna head out to the old mill, there's another party going on there, and they have alcohol." Raf says.

"Sorry Raf." I apologize.

"It's fine, I just wanted to thank her by showing her a good time, if she doesn't show, then she doesn't show. I'll see you guys around." Raf turns and leaves, Landon and I continue to dance.

**HOPE**

**FLASHBACK**

_We had finally gotten back to the school from Maple Hollows, the entire trip was awful, and not because of the mummy. The whole entire trip Lizzie had been making snide comments at me, I was trying very hard not to lose my temper for Josie's sake, but before we left for Mystic Falls I snapped. Since dating Josie I had been making every effort to be nice to Lizzie, to get along with her, be her friend, but she was having none of it. So, I demanded an answer, and what she told me surprised me. I thought she was still angry with me for not being friends with her the last ten years, for taking the attention of her father, but it wasn't either of those._

_The reason for her anger towards me was Josie, apparently I hurt he so bad, Lizzie hated me for it. I had looked to Josie for answers, but she dismissed it, and told Lizzie to stop talking. During the ride back I started to think back on when I could have possibly hurt Josie, but I came up with nothing. When we arrived at school I kissed Josie goodbye and went to my room to change, I couldn't figure out what Lizzie was talking about. I had spent the last decade basically ignoring the twins, unless that was it. I needed to figure this out, I left my room and entered the twins room. Their door had been open and Lizzie was the only one in there, perfect._

_"We need to talk." I say to Lizzie._

_"If you're here for answers, don't even bother. I've been instructed to keep my mouth shut." Lizzie states._

_"Well, I'm going to need you to ignore those instructions. Look I don't know what I did to hurt Josie, the only thing I can think of is ignoring your attempts at a friendship with me."_

_"Well, that certainly didn't help."_

_"So, it was something else." Lizzie just crosses her arms over her chest and doesn't say anything. "Lizzie please, I am trying here, really trying. I know I shouldn't have ignored you and sister's attempts at becoming friends, I'm just trying to make up for it now."_

_"Yeah, because your dating Josie, if you two weren't dating you'd still be ignoring us."_

_"Probably, but we are dating, and you are an important part of Josie's life. And I want her to know, I want her to see what's important to her, is also important to me." Lizzie's intense gaze softens and she uncrosses her arms. "Please, just tell me. I don't like not knowing how I hurt Josie." Lizzie closes her eyes and takes a couple breaths before answering._

_"Josie had a crush on you two years ago. The first time she tried to tell you, you went and got yourself suspended, and then you had all this drama with your family, and Nazi's, you remember you were there."_

_"Uh, yeah."_

_"When your father and uncle died shortly after your mother, you stayed in New Orleans for a while. When you got back she could tell you were still hurting, so she stayed silent. A few weeks passed and she just wasn't sure when the right time to tell you about her crush would be, especially since you basically had stopped talking to everyone."_

_"Did she try to tell me and I just ignored her?"_

_"I'm getting there. I was getting tired of her keeping it to herself, so I suggested she just write you a note and slip it under your door when you weren't there."_

_"But I never got a note."_

_"Would you stop interrupting me! I'm getting there. After going through twenty pieces of paper, Josie had finally written you a note, she begged me to come with her, so I did. As we were heading towards your room, you just happen to walk by us and..."_

_"And?!" I said getting impatient._

_"You gave us this look, this really angry, mean look. Josie froze, then she ran back to our room, I ran after her and when I caught up with her in our room, she burned the letter in our fireplace and jumped on her bed and started crying. She had it in her head that the reason you looked at us that way, was because you blamed us for your father's death."_

_"Why?" I asked, tears forming in my eyes after hearing what I did._

_"Because we're the ones that siphoned the black magic out of you and put it inside him. Because shortly after we did that he died." The tears start pouring from my face now, I can't believe Josie ever believed that. "I watched as my sister cried for hours, not able to do anything but hold her, because of you." I hung my head in shame. "I know I'm not the best sister, and I know everyone else things so too." I look back up at Lizzie. "But if there is one thing I cannot stand, if there is one thing I cannot tolerate, is when someone hurts my sister. No one is allowed to do that, not even you Mikaelson." I wipe the tears from my face._

_"I'm sorry."_

_"I'm not the one you need to apologize to."_

_"I know, but I still owe you an apology. For ignoring you all those years, and for putting you sister through that. I can't promise you I won't hurt her again, I'm still working through some issues, and I'm a Mikaelson, it's kinda our thing. But what I can promise is I'll do everything in my power to avoid hurting her, and I will make sure everyday she is with me, she is happy." I swear to Lizzie, and she seems satisfied._

_"I guess that'll have to do." Lizzie approaches me and sticks out her hand, I shake it. "Truce." I nod in agreement, I'm about to take my hand back, put Lizzie pulls it into her. "And if you break your word Mikaelson, I don't know how, but I will kill you, and it will be slow and painful."_

_"Deal." I say nervously. Lizzie let's go of my hand then, I turn and head back to my room._

**_END FLASHBACK_ **

I wake up covered in tree shrub, I move it and stand up, wiping dirt from my clothes. Suddenly I hear the Minotaur, it's running straight towards me. I take the tree branch I assume Lizzie used to hit me with and break it in two with my thigh. I see the Minotaur coming at me, I'm mentally preparing myself for an attack, when it's shot from behind, and slides to a stop in front of me. When I look up from the Minotaur I see Lizzie with a bow, walking towards me with a victorious smile. "Where did you get that?" A bearded man approaches Lizzie. "Who's he?" Lizzie hands him the bow. "This is Frank. Thank you for your help." She tells him. "Thanks." He says. Lizzie walks towards me and stops in front of me. "I thought you were taking the deal." I say surprised. "I realized it would be perpetuating the patriarchy. There's always someone telling women they only exist for one reason. We even told ourselves that. I am done playing that game." As Lizzie finishes her speech, we hear the Minotaur groan, we look down, it's attempting to get up. I take half the branch I broke and stab it through the head, killing it. "Screw endgame." I say, then suddenly we are brought back to the present, Mystic Falls, but Lizzie and I aren't the only ones who made it back.

"You found another way. You killed the Minotaur. Thank you." The Keeper said, gratefully.

"Not that you deserved it." Lizzie and I stood up. "And you definitely don't deserve this." Lizzie extends her hand to the Keeper and helps her stand up. "We've had enough women hurting women for one day." Lizzie turns to me and I nod in agreement. We head back to the street we first died in, I place a foot on the road, and place it back on the curb. Lizzie and I look both ways then run towards the school. 

**JOSIE**

Landon and I had taken a break from dancing for a while, until the song Take on Me played, it was a slower version of the song, a remake. I look to Landon to see if he wants to slow dance, as if reading my mind he holds his hand out for me to take. I take his hand and he pulls me close, I wrap one hand over his shoulder, and the other around his neck, and he wraps his arms around my waist. In that moment as we are swaying to the song, I start to feel that tightness in my chest, the heartbreak, but then Landon and I pull slightly apart and look at each other, and the way he looks at me, it's like I am the only person in the room, the only one that matters, and suddenly that tightness is gone, that heartbreak is gone. "Do you maybe want to dance somewhere else?" Landon asks. "Only if that's a metaphor." I reply, he smiles then kisses me. And as I'm kissing him all I feel is love, nothing else. He takes my hand and leads me off the dance floor.

**HOPE**

When Lizzie and I arrived at the school we headed straight for the dance hall, when we got there we spotted Josie and Landon. They were still there, so no sex yet. A slow song had begun to play and I watched as Josie and Landon slow danced together. I know Lizzie said Josie wasn't happy, that she was just filling a void, but what I saw in front of me was not that. I saw Josie and Landon looking at each other the same way Josie and I used to, and when they kissed, there was nothing but love behind it. I knew then and there I couldn't ruin Josie's happiness, when they stopped kissing they left the dance floor and Lizzie tugged at my arm. "Hurry, we can still stop them." Lizzie said. "Wait." I say to her. "For what?" She asks. "We have to let them go." I tell her, and she looks at me sadly. "Are you sure?" I look back over the dancefloor and I remember Josie's and I first time together. It had been the same night we went to Maple Hollows to retrieve the urn. 

**FLASHBACK**

_I was reading a book when I heard three knocks on my door. "Who is it?" I ask. "It's me." Oh crap, I may or may not be in trouble for getting Lizzie to spill the beans. I put the book on my nightstand and sit up at the edge of my bed. "Come in." I say. Josie enters my room and closes the door behind her, she doesn't make a move to come closer to me though. "Lizzie said you came by our room, and that she told you everything." I let out a sigh._

_"I needed to know Josie." Josie nods her head in understanding. "Why didn't you ever tell me? Why didn't you want to tell me?" Josie steps away from the door, and walks towards me till she inches away from me._

_"Because it was all in the past, and despite how I felt, you were the one that was truly hurting." Josie explains._

_"But you thought my dad's death was on you and it wasn't."  
_

_"Funny, I've been trying to get you to realize that about yourself." I chuckle at that._

_"I'm sorry, I never meant to look at you that way, honestly don't even remember doing it. I just remember being angry at myself."_

_"I know...Lizzie also mentioned a truce?"_

_"Yeah, I told her I'd try my best not to hurt you, ever, and that I'd make sure you were happy."_

_"Well, you're doing a pretty good job of that so far." Josie gives me a chaste kiss._

_"Lizzie also told me you had a crush on me, is that true." Josie blushes at that._

_"Of course I did, who wouldn't." I pull Josie into a heated kiss, she straddles me and wraps her arms around my neck, while I wrap one arm around her waist, and the other holds her head, fingers tangling in her hair. I slowly lay down on the bed taking Josie with me, she breaks the kiss, both of us breathing heavily._

_"Full disclosure, we don't have to do this if you're not comfortable, or ready."_

_"I'm both, though admittedly I have no idea what I'm doing." Josie just smiles at that._

_"Luckily I do." I smile widely at that and kiss her again. Everyday with Josie is special, but this one, this one was the most special by far._

**END FLASHBACK**

**JOSIE**

Landon I are kissing passionately as we enter my room, I quickly discard my shoes and shawl. " _Motus._ " I spell the door shut. Landon lays me on the bed, he tries to take off his vest with no luck, so I try to help him. "This doesn't even have sleeves. Why is this so hard to take off?" He says as we continue to struggle with it. We finally manage to take off his vest, and he looks at me. "You sure you want to do this?" I ask, just to be sure. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life." Landon replies and I smile up at him. We kiss again, until I remember something. "Do you have a condom?" A look of realization crosses Landon's face. "I knew I forgot something." Landon gets off my bed and I sit up. "Don't. Stop, stop. Do not move, I'll be right back." Landon says as he rushes out of my room. I lay back down on my bed, of course he forgot the condom, boys always forget the condom.

**HOPE**

"I don't get it. We literally killed ourselves to get back here, and you couldn't go through with it." Lizzie says to me disappointed.

"What you said before, about destiny, you were right. Maybe there isn't only one way everything has to happen. We don't exist for just one path. Besides, Josie looked happy tonight, and I promised you last year that I'd make sure she was happy, that's I'd avoid hurting her. This is me avoiding hurting her, and ensuring her happiness." I explain.

"Well, when you put it that way, I'm inclined to agree with you."

"So let's dance." I grab a drink from the table we're standing by.

"Anything to keep me from picturing Josie's tragic visit to the Shire." Lizzie picks up a drink as well and we drink to that. Then we make our way to the dance floor. "Hey, if you tell this to anyone, I will deny it, but I'm glad to have you back." I'm surprised by Lizzie's confession, even more surprised when she extends her arms out for a hug. We hug for a moment and dance without a care in the world.

**JOSIE**

Landon isn't back yet, I hope he went straight to the nurses' office and isn't running all over school looking for a condom. My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a scratching sound. "No, not now you stupid rats. I have been listening to your tiny little rat claws for months now." I kneel down and look under my bed, ready to burn the rats alive, until I realize it isn't the rats that's making the noise, it's Penelope's burn book. I pull the burn book out from under my bed and sit back down. I hadn't looked through it since Penelope told me about the merge. After dad told Lizzie and I about it I guess I tossed it under my bed and forgot about it. I contemplate opening it and reading it's contents, after a moment of contemplation I open it. Might as well do something while I'm waiting for Landon to get back. I open the book and watch as the page is being filled out by someone using the magical pen Penelope handed out last year. This person is complaining about how no one recognized their E.T. outfit, boring. I then flip the pages until I come across one of my old diary entries, I hope I didn't write anything about Penelope, that'll really kill the mood.

_Dear Diary,_

_Today actually turned out to be a good day, despite the fact that dad forgot to pick us up at the airport. Shortly after we arrived at school Lizzie and I headed to dad's office, where we quickly learned he did not get our updated itinerary, despite the fact mom, texted, emailed and faxed him. I had tried to lighten up the mood, but of course Lizzie was having none of that. She made sure to tell him how horrible the shuttle ride to the school was, and when Hope tried to defend our father's actions, Lizzie let her have it too. I apologized for Lizzie's actions and gave them both a hug, I missed them both terribly while I was Europe, especially Hope. Ever since we did community service together, we had gotten closer, and while in Europe I realized I had feelings for Hope, again. Anyway, sometime during Lizzie going off on dad and Hope, and me arriving at our room, something changed in Lizzie. As soon as I got to our room to check on her, she pulled me into a tight hug. It was the strangest thing, when I asked what brought it on, she simply said she didn't know. Lizzie left shortly after that, and I started unpacking my things. In the middle of unpacking Hope came by my room, asking me for help. I told her I'd help her as soon as I finished unpacking. After I finished, I handed her a bag filled with paint supplies I had bought for her in France. She was so happy with the gift, I loved seeing Hope happy, she deserved it. Then the unexpected happened, she asked me out on a date! The Hope Mikaelson asked me out on a date! I wish I could say I played it cool and said yes, but the opposite happened. She explained how she had been developing feelings for me, how she could let her guard down around me, and how after the whole mombie incident, she realized she wanted to be with me. After she explained everything she asked me out again, and of course I said yes, who would say no to going on a date with Hope Mikaelson._

The entire time I was reading my diary entry I felt nothing but confusion, who was Hope Mikaelson? For some reason an image of Hope Marshal popped in my head. No, no way, there was no way they were the same person. Then, that tightness in my chest returned. I then started to think of the times I had spent with Hope Marshal, how I felt every time I was around her. If Hope Marshal was really Hope Mikaelson, and I had feelings towards her, wouldn't I remember? And that's when it hits me, Malivore. If Hope had jumped into the pit, then her whole existence would have been erased. I hear footsteps heading towards my door, it must be Landon. I place the book under my pillow and hear the door open.

"Say hello to my little friend." I turn to see him holding up the condom. I want to offer him a smile, to let him know I'm ready for the next step in our relationship, but I don't. My feelings are all over the place right now, and he sees it. "Hey, um, is everything ok? He asks. "Um, would you be mad if I told you that I wanted to wait?" I ask, trying to keep the tears at bay. "No, not at all." He replies sitting next to me. "I'm sorry, I just, um..." I try to explain, but he interrupts. "It doesn't matter. Whatever it is, if you're not ready for it, neither am I." God he's being so sweet right now. I wish I didn't have to stop this. "We have all the time in the world Josie, nothing's gonna change that." Oh how I wish that were true, but something tells me everything is about to change. "You want a cup of tea?" He asks. "Yeah." I reply. "Ok." He gets up and steps out of my room, as soon as he closes the door, I take out the burn book. I go through it until I find an entry written by Hope.

_Tomorrow is Josie's birthday and I'm still debating wither or not I should give her the talisman. I spelled it to make quiet things heard, and I don't know if Josie is going to like it, or take offense to it. These past few weeks I've gotten to know what a truly amazing person Josie is, but I seem to be the only one who notices, besides her ex of course. She's often stuck in her sisters shadow, no one ever notices her unless they need something from her, which is how I came up with the idea to gift her the talisman in the first place. Or maybe the reason I'm hesitant to gift her the talisman is because if I do, she might realize my true feelings towards her. She's made me feels things I thought I'd never feel again. And when she looks at me, she doesn't see me as the only one of my kind, or the girl from a family of villains, she just sees me as me._

As I continue to read tears fall on the pages of the book. I needed to know for sure if Hope Marshal and Hope Mikaelson are the same person. I flip through the pages quickly, Landon is bound to be back any minute now, at first I don't find anything, there hasn't been an entry by Hope Mikaelson since the end of last school year, it isn't until I reach the end of the book that I find an entry from Lizzie. Last night memories of Hope Mikaelson flooded Lizzie's, she suspected it was because of the black magic I blasted her with that brought on her memories. According to this Hope Marshal is indeed Hope Mikaelson.

**HOPE**

After the decade dance ended I decided to leave the school and head back to town. On my way to the school gates I heard my name being called out. "Hey, Hope?" I turn around to see it was Rafael who was calling me, he walks over to me and I meet him halfway. "Hey Raf." I greet back. "I was hoping you'd come tonight. I never had a chance to properly thank you for turning me back." Raf says, and I smile at him. "Happy to help." I say to him. "Do you want to party with us?" I look over at the old mill, looks like everyone is having a good time, the witches are drunk already as usual. I decide why not, I've earned it. "Sure." I say, and Raf and I walk into the old mill. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah I made some changes to what happened in 1x12 in a flashback, hope you like it.


	6. THAT'S NOTHING I HAD TO REMEMBER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie seeks Freya's help in the Big Easy.

**THAT'S NOTHING I HAD TO RMEMEBER**

I had woken up a few hours earlier than usual this morning. After discovering that Hope Marshal was in fact Hope Mikaelson, and that she was wiped from existence due to Malivore, I knew I had to get my memories of her back, I had to get everyone's memories back. According to Lizzie's diary entry, the Japanese black magic purge spell was the only way to do that, but I was going to need help, and there was only one person I could think that had both the power and knowledge to help, unfortunately I was going to have to travel by bus to get this person's help. I left Lizzie a note telling her I was leaving Mystic Falls, but that I would be back in time for Commonwealth day, and not to worry, gathered everything I would need, and headed to the bus station. 

A few hours and a puke session later, I was in New Orleans. If I wasn't here on a mission I'd definitely explore the city more, it was buzzing with energy, and there was magic everywhere. I went straight to the French Quarter, where according to Hope's entries, the witches would be. I asked around for Freya Mikaelson, but no one had seen her, and I didn't want to pry and ask for her address, didn't want them to think I was some creep. I went to Rousseau's to take a break, not too long after I sat down, a waitress came by my table and handed me a drink. She went to another table before I could tell her I was underage. I sat at the table for a while, tapping on the glass, debating my next move when a blonde woman approached the table I was sitting at.

"And how old are you claiming to be?" She asked me.

"I'm not claiming to be anything. With a face like mine I will forever have to show ID. You can have the drink if you want, but it's probably watered down." I reply a little nervous.

"Mm." The woman sits across from me. "Relax, it's called 'the Big Easy' for a reason. I'm Freya, I hear you've been asking around the Quarter for me." Whoa, she's THE Freya Mikaelson, be cool Josie, be cool.

"I'm Josie, I'm a student at the Salvatore School, Mystic Falls."

"Yeah, I've heard of it. My wife's got an eye on it for our son."

"I kind of need your help. There's a spell that I'm kind of trying to reverse engineer."

"I'm sure one of your teachers can help you with that." Freya stands from her seat.

"An ancient Japanese black magic purge spell?" Freya steps closer to me.

"Those aren't the kind of spells school kids should be messing with. You should go home." Freya turns to leave. 

"Wait. You have photos in your home of someone you don't recognize." Freya pauses, and I stand from my seat. "Feels like you should know them, but you don't." Freya turns and walks back towards me.

"How did you know that?"

"We've all forgotten people. It doesn't matter what I say, the spell that I need is the only way you're gonna remember for yourself." I don't tell her more than that. I'm not sure if she would believe me if I told her the girl in her photo's is her niece, her brother's daughter.

**HOPE**

Ever since I made the decision to let Josie go, I had made it my mission to distract myself, so that I could start moving on with my life. Which is how I find myself here, helping to set up for Commonwealth Day celebration. No new monster had made an appearance, so I had a table set up on top of the portal, and started helping out.

"Ow!" I let out a sigh. Stupid paper cut. "I have done that, like five times. Is it possible to die from a paper cut?" I ask Ethan, who is next to me helping.

"Careful, that's the best arm in town now." I laugh at that. "Let me see." I hold my hand out, and Ethan takes it to inspect it. "Yeah, it's fatal."

"Hey!" Ethan let's go of my hand, and we both look to see it's the councilman who's yelling at us. "You two, quit slacking. Tomorrow's festivities will not be thrown off by hormonal teenagers." Jeez we weren't even doing anything.

"Sure thing councilman." The councilman goes back to his business. "Ruined by an old, white guy politician, though? Totally plausible." I laugh at that. "How did that guy win an election?" Ethan asks.

"Democracy isn't what is used to be." I reply, as I head over to another table.

"Hey, I got to head to practice."

"But you're hurt."

"I can still help the team win."

"Gotcha, see you after?"

"Not unless you're coming to physical therapy with me. My life's a real party these days." I just give him a smile. Ethan turns to walk away, but then turns back towards me. "You ever want to see me, you should probably ask me out." He turns and walks off, forward much. Though I had to admit he was cute. My thoughts are interrupted by something grabbing my leg, I let out a gasp and look down to see Lizzie.

"Don't 'gah' me. Get your ass under here." Lizzie gets back under the table and I follow.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her.

"Looking for you. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on the portal to Malivore." Lizzie replies.

"I'm literally on top of it." I gesture towards the table literally on top of the goo.

"Not enough. A zombie snuck onto campus this morning."

"I mean, are you sure it's from the portal? I've been here all night."

"It has the mark of Malivore carved into it's skull, it's obviously from the portal. Maybe you were too busy flirting with the muggle."

"I wasn't flirting. I was blending in." I defend myself.

"Hey, by all means flirt away. I'm glad to see you taking a step towards moving on, I know how you like to brood." I give her a pointed look. "We locked the zombie up, which means no more portal duty is required, and you and I can hang out today."

"Why is that last part harder for me to understand than all the rest?" 

"Hey keeping this secret of yours is harder than it looks ok. So, just bare with me." Lizzie says.

"Fine." I respond back.

** JOSIE **

"Harae-tamai kioku yomigaerashi-tamae. In the spell, conviction matters. You need to be clear of mind and purpose. If not, instead of purging the supernatural influence in the mind, you'll end up solidifying it, making it permanent." Freya explains. The bar was now empty, except for the two of us. We had moved from the table to the bar, with the burn book and spell laid out in front of us.

"No pressure." I say.

"How did you even find this spell?"

"I siphoned it from an ancient sword to save my sister's life?" Freya raises an eyebrow at that. "Weird story short, I read in this diary how it returned all of her memories somehow."

"Hmm. Magic and privacy don't mix well."

"No, they don't." Freya's phone rings.

"That's my wife. She's on Nik duty tonight, our kid. Excuse me." Freya gets up and walks away. "Hey, yep, yeah, I'm still at the bar. How's Nik doing?" I stand up and go over to the wall filled with pictures. I look at each one until I come across a picture of Freya and Hope. I stare at it for a moment, I'm about to place my hand over the photo of Hope, when Freya comes back.

"Who is she?" I turn around and face Freya. "I knew you were hiding something from me. So, tell me, how is it we both forgot the same person? And if you didn't tell me that to begin with, I can only assume it's because you haven't decided what you're going to do with that spell, have you? Who is that girl?" I let out a heavy sigh, I should have known I wasn't going to be able to keep anything from Freya Mikaelson.

"Her name is Hope Andrea Mikaelson, she's the daughter of Haley Marshal and Klaus Mikaelson, she's your niece." Freya is in shock, she doesn't say anything so I continue. "And the reason everyone but my sister has forgotten her, is the same reason no one remembers that the mythological creatures we read about in stories actually did exist once, Malivore." Freya goes from shocked to confused. "Extremely long story short, Malivore was a Golem created by one vampire, one werewolf, and one witch. It was then turned into a pit of goo, and whenever someone enters that pit, they are wiped from existence. Hope entered that pit to keep Malivore from rising because she's a tribrid, a loophole, but since she hadn't activated her vampire side, she wasn't a fully activated tribrid, so Malivore spit her back out, but because she jumped in the pit, everyone's memory of her was erased... Any questions?" Freya gestures for me to wait, she goes behind the bar and grabs a bottle of bourbon, and drinks from the bottle. 

"I've hear a lot of crazy stuff in my lifetime, but I think what you just told me takes the cake." Freya says once she downs some bourbon. I open the burn book until I find what I'm looking for, I turn it over to show Freya.

"These are some of the creatures we've encountered." Freya looks down at the drawing, a look of recognition crosses her face.

"Did Hope draw these?"

"Yes." Freya continues to look at the drawings. "You probably crossed paths with one of these creatures once in your lifetime." Freya looks at me for a moment, then continues flipping the pages until she comes across the last drawing. "And for the record, I am going to use the spell." Freya looks up at me again. "I'm just not looking forward to what happens after I use it." I explain.

"Why?" She asks.

"Because I'm going to have to make a choice, a choice between two people, which means someone is going to get hurt. And I don't do that, I don't hurt people I care about, I take care of them." Freya slides the bottle of bourbon towards me. "I'm underage."

"You need it." She simply says. I take the bottle and take a sip, it's strong and it burns, but she was right I needed it. "You should head back home now, you have memories to restore." I nod my head and gather my things. I turn to leave, but before I do I turn back to Freya.

"Thank you for this, I'm not sure if I would have been able to figure it out on my own."

"You're a bright kid, I have a feeling you'll do great things when you're older."

"You know, you'd make a great teacher at the Salvatore school, the witches would love you..."

"You're stalling, go home."

"Yes ma'am." I finally turn and leave the bar, I head back to the bus stop and purchase a ticket back to Mystic Falls. It was time to return everyone's memories of Hope, even if it meant making a difficult choice afterwards.

**HOPE**

"When I said that I wanted to hang out, this is not what I had in mind." Lizzie says in disgust, as we both looked at what was left of the councilman's body.

"Who even found him? What's left of him." I ask.

"Alyssa Chang on her morning jog. Good thing too, otherwise, this place would be crawling with police. What kind of monster do you think we're dealing with?" As Lizzie asks that I look over at the side of the building.

"A Croatoan." I respond.

"How do you know that?" I turn to her.

"Call it a hunch." I gesture over to the building where the word 'Croatoan' is written. Lizzie gather's up the super squad and they all meet in the Salvatore School gym.

"Ok, squad. We have a problem, and we're down a witch because Josie is off somewhere doing something, and won't be back till later on today." Lizzie starts, I look at her for a second confused, then I turn to the rest of the squad, I notice Landon has the same look of confusion.

"Which is bad for us, because a Croatoan came through the portal and killed a councilman." I explain.

"What the hell is a Croatoan?" Kaleb asks, a girl sitting next to Kaleb, his sister Kym I think, snaps her fingers.

"Hold up, the lost colony of Roanoke." She says, but we all look confused. "Seriously? None of you?" She asks.

"I'll play." Landon speaks up. "Roanoke, it's one of the first English settlements in North America, until it just vanished without a trace." Landon explains.

"And the only thing left behind was a word carved on a tree: Croatoan." Kaleb looks at his sister surprised. "What? I'm a history nerd. Why else would I be here for Commonwealth Day?"

"Uh I-ignore her. Her visitation privileges are about to be revoked." Kaleb says slightly embarrassed.

"The monster is here, and it's after Landon, so we need to get him somewhere safe." I say.

"Ok, um, no offense." Kaleb says as he steps down from the benches. "But why is some girl from Mystic Falls giving us orders?" Kaleb asks.

"Because she's a wolf." "Because she's a witch." Lizzie and Rafael say at the same time.

"Most importantly, she knows how to kill monsters." Lizzie explains.

"That's so cool." Kym says.

"Wait guys, what about the zombie? I thought Malivore could only release one monster at a time." Rafael points out.

"Yeah, that's what we all thought." I say.

"How the hell do you know about Malivore?" Kaleb asks. I keep forgetting no one remembers me.

"Oh, I-I filled her in. Yeah, she took down the Oni, and she killed the Minotaur, although, that was actually really more me." Lizzie says with a proud smile.

"Wait, wait. There was a Minotaur?" Landon asks, almost pouting.

"Yeah, not everything is about you." Lizzie says, and I can't help but smile at that.

"Alright, so, then what's the plan Miss were-witch?" Kaleb asks.

"The plan is that I will take Landon, put a barrier spell around him..."

"Oh." Lizzie says as she interrupt and steps in front of me. "Wh-what she means is that I will babysit Landon, while everyone else is at Commonwealth Day while Hope does her whole monster hunting deal." Lizzie says as she turns to me.

"I'll go with her, so she has back up." Raf says.

"I can help with research." Kym suggests.

"Yeah, from the safety of your hotel room." Kaleb tells her.

"Ok, super squad disassemble or whatever." I say.

"Super squad." Kaleb says as he sticks his hand out, Landon joins in too. I guess they were trying to do a team cheer or something.

"Cool." I say as everyone exits the gym.

"Ok, before you say anything, it's a good plan, that's keeps you as far away from Landon as possible, because let's face it, do you really want to babysit the guy that slept with your girlfriend?" Lizzie asks, but that's not the issue I have.

"Where's Josie?" I ask her.

"I was just gonna ask the same thing." Landon says from the gym doorway. He reenters with Raf by his side and walks up to Lizzie and I. "While I'm glad she's not here to deal with the latest monster, it's still weird for her not to be here, and for her own sister not to know where she is. It's even weirder that you." Landon turns to me. "Are asking about my girlfriends whereabouts."

"I didn't realize it was a crime to show concern for a friend." I state.

"It isn't, except I think you see her as more than just a friend." Landon says taking a step towards me, Lizzie then steps between us.

"While I don't know the exact location of my sister, I do know she is safe, a bit quezy, but safe." Landon and I just stare at each other intensely. "In case the both of you have forgotten there is still a monster on the loose, so Landon let's go." Lizzie grabs Landon and drags him away, I leave the gym not bothering to wait for Raf, and start tracking the Croatoan.

Not too long after Landon and I's standoff, I was in the woods with Raf tracking down the Croatoan. Though I can feel him wanting to say something, we both walked in silence most of the time, until I couldn't take it anymore, I stop and turn towards him. "Whatever it is you want to say, just say it." I tell him. He doesn't say anything at first, it looks as if he's contemplating what to say to me, after a minute passes he finally speaks up. "I know you have feeling for Josie." He starts out, and I scoff and walk away. "You don't know anything." I tell him, and I can hear him following me. "Oh yeah? Then what was that in the gym?" Raf asks. "Your friend overreacting to a perfectly innocent question." I respond. I spot tracks and kneel down to inspect them. "Look, I had feelings for Josie once too, so I know the look." The tracks look like they belong to an animal, I stand up and turn to face Raf. "It's ok to feel things for someone, as long as it doesn't go any further than that." Raf says to me. "Trust me, if I wanted to interfere in any way in their relationship, I would have done it already, now let's focus on catching and killing this monster that's after your friend." I say to Raf before turning and walking away.

We continue tracking the Croatoan in silence, after a while we pick up it's trail, at least that's what we hope since the trail leads to the school. As we enter the far side of the school, we notice it looks like there was a struggle, I guess we were on the right track after all. We continue to follow the trail that leads us to the transition cells, where we hear Landon and Lizzie arguing. "Nice work, but that's not gonna hold it long, so just tell me the secret." I hear Landon say. Oh no Lizzie's gonna spill the beans.

"I can't." Lizzie states.

"Why?"

"It would break Josie's heart."

"So, this is about Josie?"

"No, it's about all of us."

"Lizzie, since when have you kept your mouth shut about anything? Just tell me."

"Fine. It..." I arrive just in time to stop Lizzie from saying anymore.

" _Silencio._ " I look over and see the Croatoan in the transition cell, it's snarling in my direction.

"So, this is about you."

"We have to get out of here." I say.

"What are you hiding from everyone?" Landon asks.

"There's no time, these bars aren't gonna hold. We have to find some way to stop it." I hear Lizzie trying to speak, but it comes out muffled, I undo the spell.

"MG is working on it. Also, because of Landon, there is now a zombie on the loose." Lizzie states.

"It was a good idea."

"Ok, one monster at a time. Raf, take Landon to Dr. Saltzman. Lizzie and I will find a way to keep the Croatoan busy, let's go." Lizzie and I run until we arrive at the gym and stop there. "You were gonna tell Landon everything. We had a deal." I tell her.

"Well, things changed. Josie and Landon didn't have sex, which means you might still have a shot with Josie, if you tell her the truth." Lizzie says.

"Wait. What?" I ask confused as Lizzie grabs the door handles to shut the door.

"Shh, be surprised quietly. There's still a monster chasing us remember." The Croatoan grabs the door and Lizzie and I let out a shriek and step back from it. "On second thought, be as loud as you want, because we are so screwed." Lizzie states as we continue backing away from the Croatoan, who is slowly making it's way towards us.

"Uh, it feeds on secret's right? So, let me have it, all of it." I say to Lizzie.

"I prefer to die with dignity." Ugh, Lizzie always had to make things difficult.

"Ok, fine, I'll start. Um, I stole you jade butterfly clip in the fifth grade."

"I loved that clip!" Lizzie exclaims.

"Well, remember when you told me Josie had a crush on me two years ago, well I had a crush on her for a week when we were fourteen."

"A week! What is wrong with you?! My sister is adorable, your lucky she even dated you in the first place after what you did."

"Uh, Lizzie? Focus." The Croatoan is getting closer to us, and we've reached the edge of the gym.

"Ok, um, I accidentally killed your hamster." I turn to Lizzie surprised. "I siphoned you to cheat on finals."

"What?" I ask surprised.

"And I actually think you're kind of cool." The Croatoan screeches, our secrets had some effect on him, but not enough, he's stomach opens up like a venus fly trap, and tentacles come out of him.

"Ok, it's not working. It's not gonna stop until everyone knows the secret we've been keeping from them, that I'm back."

"I'm back too." Lizzie and I turn to see that Josie has returned. " _Harae-tamai kioku yomigaerashi-tamae!._ A surge of magic leaves Josie and encompasses Lizzie and I, and shortly after it returns and hits Josie, and when it does, Josie has a look of recognition on her face. "Hope?" Oh my god, she remembers me. She then faints from the effects of the spell.

"Jo!" Lizzie exclaims, but neither of us move until the Croatoan turns and leaves the gym, Lizzie and I rush to Josie's side. "Did she just..."

"Restore everyone's memories, yeah, which means the monster will definitely be going after Landon now that you and I no longer have a secret." I say to her as I'm staring at Josie.

"I know you want to stay, but you have to go, you have to save him." I look at Lizzie, then back at Josie. I kiss her on her temple and run in the direction the Croatoan went."

**JOSIE**

**FLASHBACK**

_It was the day after Landon went on his 'camping trip' that Hope came into my room with a worried look on her face. "We have a problem." She started, and I focus my attention on her. "Landon didn't go on some camping trip, he was taken by Triad." Hope finishes explaining. "And you're gonna rescue him right?" I ask as I step closer to her. "Of course, I may not trust him for lying to me, but that doesn't mean I want something bad to happen to him." Hope replies. "Good, you're taking back up though right? You're not doing this alone?" I ask. "That's actually why I'm here, I thought this would be the perfect mission for the super squad, wondered if you might want to tag along." I smile at Hope and wrap my arms around her neck. "I'll always fight by your side, you don't even have to ask, just tell me when and where." Hope smiles at that and gives me a quick kiss. "In that case pack up some magical items you can siphon from, just in case no one is around to siphon from." Hope instructs. "You got it boss." I salute, she laughs and leaves, while I turn to pack a few things._

_Shortly after packing what I'd need the super squad gathered, we went out the front doors of Salvatore School only to be greeted by soldiers of Triad. Hope attempted to do magic, but nothing happened, Kaleb tried to us he vamp speed, but the moment he stepped out into the sun his skin began to burn. Triad had disabled our magic somehow, they then forced us to search for a chalice. Hope, Lizzie, and I managed to sneak into my father's office to locate the school phone to call him, and warn him about what was going on. Shortly after the phone call ended, one of the Triad soldiers found us, he then pulled a gun on us and told us he had special Malivore bullets designed to kill supernaturals slowly. When he pointed the gun at Lizzie I reacted on instinct and stood in front of my sister, taking the Malivore bullet._

_After I got shot a couple of Triad soldiers took us to the transition cells. We must have been there an hour before MG came and knocked out the Triad guard, he told us there was a skull blood fountain in the school's tunnels, and that's what was blocking our magic. Lizzie and I told Hope to take care of it, and from there to go save Landon, but Hope didn't want to leave my side. "No, I'm not leaving you, it's my fault you got shot. If I hadn't been so reckless..." I interrupt her. "This isn't your fault. That guy clearly had it out for supernaturals, even if he hadn't shot me, he might have shot someone else." Hope doesn't say anything, she just avoids eye contact. I place my hand under her chin and get her to look at me. "You might be the only one here that can disable that fountain, and rescue Landon, the rest of us will stay here and stop Triad the moment we have our magic back." I tell her. "What if something happens to you while I'm gone?" She asks. "Do you really think Lizzie would let anything happen to me." Hope looks at Lizzie, she has a determined look on her face. "Go, I'll be here when you get back." Hope surges forward and kisses me with everything she has, I do so as well. When we break the kiss, Hope looks me directly in the eyes."I love you." I smile at that, it's the first time she's said I love you. "I love you too." She kisses me again and gets up and leave._

_Later on that night, after the Honor council meeting I went to look for my dad, to inform him of the results of the vote, I thought it would be best if he heard it from me. I found him outside, he was standing by a fire, burning stuff, as I got closer I realized what he was burning, Hope's belongings. "Dad, what are you doing?!" I ask him. "What she asked me to." He replies sadly. "What? Why?" I ask. Tears forming in my eyes. "Because she's not coming back." My father replies, the tears fall upon hearing the news. "No, no that can't be..." And suddenly my mind goes blank for a moment. I blink a few times, and wipe the tears from my eyes. Why was I crying?_

** END FLASHBACK **

I wake up, memories of Hope flooded my head, I hear the sound of my sister calling me very faintly at first, until finally I hear her clearly. "Jo? Are you alright?" Lizzie asks. I slowly sit up and look at my sister. "Where is she?" I ask. "You just performed a very powerful spell, you need to rest..." Lizzie is about to put a hand on my shoulder, when I shrug it off and slowly stand up. "Where. Is. My girlfriend?" I ask in a more serious tone. Lizzie looks up at me slightly afraid. "She's headed towards Landon, he was supposed to be on his way to dad's." Lizzie tells me, I turn and walk out of the gym.

**HOPE**

It didn't take me long to find Landon, he and Raf didn't make it very far. When I caught up to him, the monster already had him, and was dragging him away towards the portal. " _Crescere arbor._ " Vines grow from the ground and stop the Croatoan from moving temporarily. Landon manages to get out of his hold and looks straight at me. "Hope! Hope Mikaelson." Here we go, he walks towards me, clearly angry. "Come here and get behind me." Landon scoffs at that. "Get behind the girl whose going to steal my girlfriend away, I don't think so." Landon says. "We can talk after I get rid of this thing." I grab Landon's arm and place him behind me. " _Ventus._ " I hit the Croatoan with a blast of energy. Shortly after MG appears. "Good thing you guys were arguing, I could hear you from across town. This belonged to that witch that created that thing, so maybe you..." I don't let him finish, I take the talisman and hold it out in front of me. " _Finis habentis maleficia._ " I chant, and the Croatoan slowly melts into a puddle. "You know, something like that." MG finishes. I turn around towards Landon. "Now we can talk." I say to Landon, he's about to say something when he suddenly passes out. I look around confused, and that's when I spot Josie, she must have put him to sleep.

"MG, take Landon back to the school." Josie instructs.

"Uh, is that a good idea, you look mad, and when you get mad people tend to catch on fire." Josie just gives MG a serious look. "You know what though, Hope is a big girl, she can take care of herself." MG picks up Landon and vamp speeds away, leaving me alone with Josie.

"Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I wanted to tell you, but when I got back from Malivore you were with Landon, you didn't remember me, and I honestly thought you and everyone else were happier without me. I mean you were about to have sex with Landon so..." Josie gives me a look that says she's not amused. "I probably shouldn't have said that last part. The point is, you didn't remember me Josie, no one did. What was I supposed to do" I finish. Josie takes a few steps towards me, but she's still keeping her distance from me.

"You really thought I was happy without you?" Josie asks.

"Uh, yeah. That's what it looked like." I answer.

"Then allow me to shed some light, I wasn't happy Hope, not really." I look at her with disbelief. "For months I felt heartbroken, even when I was with Landon, and I had no idea why until today. My last memory of you before it was wiped, was of my father burning all your belonging, your records, and him telling me you weren't coming back." Oh no, no that wasn't supposed to happen. Tears are forming in Josie's eyes. "And just like that." Josie snaps her finger. "You were gone, and I was mourning someone who no longer existed, thinking I was going crazy." I have no idea what to say to her, I want to comfort her, but I know that's the last thing she wants from me. "You wanna know what you were supposed to do? You could have told me who you were, used that memory projection thing of yours on me, it wouldn't have brought back my memories, but at least I would have known who you were, and things with Landon would have been put on hold. Instead you got it in your head that I was better off without you, and now when Landon wakes up, he's gonna ask me to make a choice, a choice I shouldn't have to make because there shouldn't have been a choice to begin with!" Josie's crying now, and tears and starting to stream down my face. There's so much I want to tell her, but I can't seem to get a word out, because no matter what I say, she's right. "It's nice to know how much I truly meant to you." Josie turns and walks away, it takes me a moment to realize what just happened.

"Josie!" I'm about to run after her, but Lizzie appears and stops me. "What are you doing I have to stop her. I have to explain..."

"Your words will only fall on deaf ears. I can feel her anger Hope, now's not a good time to talk with her."

"She thinks I don't care about her, that I don't love her." I try to get past Lizzie, but I don't seem to have the strength to do so. "I need to tell her I care, she needs to know how much I love her, how sorry I am."

"I know, but we both know she needs time to calm down." I stop trying to get past Lizzie. "Look it's the festival today, go there, mingle with the muggles, distract yourself. I'll handle Josie, ok?" I nod my head in defeat. While all I want to do is run after Josie, I know deep down Lizzie is right.

**JOSIE**

After I left Hope, I heard her call my name out, but I didn't stop, I couldn't look at her, so I kept walking. I walked until I got back to the school gym. I sat down and put my head in my hands, I didn't know what I was gonna do. On the one hand I did still love Hope, on the other I think I was beginning to fall in love with Landon. My thoughts are then interrupted by the gym door opening, I look up to see Lizzie walking in.

"So, you remember now?" She asks.

"No thanks to you." I stand up and walk towards her. "I had to figure out everything on my own." I tell her.

"Well, you didn't tell me about Hope either, so we're even. How did you find out?"

"I found Penelope's journal."

"I thought we were done with that witch."

"Well, then you should probably stop using that pen she gave you. It records everything that you put in your diary. Including the fact that when I purged the Oni from your mind it brought back all your memories of Hope. You should have said something."

"I know. At first I wanted you to hear the truth from her, and then I just wanted to protect you."

"I know." I let out a heavy sigh, and tears are streaming down my face again. "What am I gonna do? I don't want to choose Lizzie, despite my anger I don't want to hurt them."

"I don't know." Lizzie says as she hugs me. "But I will be here for you either way. On one condition." Lizzie says as she pulls away from me and grabs my hands. "No more secrets."

"That sounds reasonable." Lizzie and I turn to see a really, really hot guy in very old clothing standing in the middle of the gym.

"Oh, god." Lizzie says freaking out slightly and taking a step away from me. "I'm having an episode."

"At least this one's got a hot guy guest star." Hot guy seems to appreciate the compliment.

"Wait, you can see him?"

"Everyone can. There's something I need to tell you." MG says standing next to hot guy. Oh man what did you do this time MG?

**HOPE**

I take Lizzie's advice and go to the Commonwealth Day Festival, but I don't talk with anyone. I don't know a single person here, everyone I know is at the Salvatore School, and despite getting their memories back, I'm still alone. Though it is my own fault, I was here for months and didn't tell anyone, well except Alaric but he doesn't really count. I hear someone approaching the table I'm at, I look up to see it's Raf.

"Doing the whole lone wolf thing, huh?" He laughs at his own joke. "I get it, trust me."

"Then take a seat." I say.

"I can't, I uh, I just wanted to stop by and apologize for what I said to you in the woods. At the time I thought you were gonna try to steal Josie from Landon, but it was the other way around." I laugh at that.

"Not sure it's stealing if neither of them knew I existed." Raf and I are quiet for a moment. "She's probably going to choose him, isn't she?" I ask.

"Do you know how I got over my feelings for Josie?"

"No, I was just glad you did." We both laugh at that.

"I was jealous at first, but then one day I saw how the both of you brought out the best in each other." Raf pauses for a moment to let it sink in. "Josie and Landon are good together, but you and Josie are better. It might take time, but I'm sure she's going to pick you." I smile a bit at this. "Just don't tell Landon I said that."

"Your secret's safe with me."

"See you around Hope." Raf turns and leaves.

"Bye." I say. 

**JOSIE**

"You finally made it back." Landon states. I was sitting by the dock, with my chin on my knees just trying to clear my head.

"Yeah, I was in New Orleans. I needed to find a witch." I respond.

"There's plenty of those around here."

"Um a Mikaelson witch. Hope's aunt. I needed answers, and I needed help with the spell."

"So, now that you have answers, and you have your memories back, what now?"

"I honestly don't know. I mean I know what I need to do, I just...I just need to process everything first. My memories, my emotions." I turn to Landon. "I know it's a lot to ask, but can you just give me some time to do that."

"Of course, take all the time you need." I nod my head in thanks. "And just know I care about you, a lot. And I know that if given the chance, I know we can be happy."

** HOPE **

I was still sitting alone at the festival watching everyone else have fun, when I heard a voice I didn't think I'd ever hear again. "Hope?" I turn around and see my Aunt Freya. "Aunt Freya?" I immediately stand up and run to her, she wraps me in a tight embrace, and I let out all the tears I had been holding back. "I screwed up Freya." I say, and Freya just shushes me and continues to hold me. She holds me until I've calmed down a bit, she leads me to a table and sits me down, then she asks me what's wrong. I tell her everything that happened with Josie.

"Well, as much as I hate to see you like this, your girl does bring up some valid points." Freya states.

"Not sure how much longer she's going to be my girl."

"Listen to me." Freya take hold of both of my hands. "No matter how angry she is with you, I know she'll pick you. You are Hope Andrea Mikaelson, you've got something that boy doesn't have."

"What?"

"Mikaelson charm." I scoff at that, and Freya grabs my cheeks and makes me look at her. "Part of the Mikaelson charm being, when we fall for someone, we fall hard. We love them with our entire being." I smile at that, because she was right, I did love Josie with my entire being. "And once Josie has had time to process and cool down, I know she'll choose you, and she'll come to realize that none of this was easy for you."

"Thank you Aunt Freya, I really needed to hear that." Freya smiles at me, and puts her hands down and leans back in her seat.

"Now that that's done, you wanna tell me why you didn't come to see me as soon as you came back from this Malivore place." Crap! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone finally remembers Hope!!!


	7. IT WILL ALL BE PAINFULLY CLEAR SOON ENOUGH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie has a plan to close the Malivore portal.

** IT WILL ALL BE PAINFULLY CLEAR SOON ENOUGH **

** JOSIE **

** FLASHBACK **

_"I thought it meant you were special."_

_"You thought I was special?"_

_"Go on a date with me."_

_"Lizzie also told me you had a crush on me, is that true?"_

_"Of course I did, who wouldn't."_

**END FLASHBACK**

I wake up from my dream/memories to the sight of Hope laying down next to me. "Pleasant dream I hope." I immediately sit up. "What are you doing in my bed?" I ask. "She's not the only one here." I turn around and see Landon laying down on the other side of my bed. What the hell? "Ok, I understand I have a choice to make, and it's been a few days, but don't you both think this is a little too much?" I ask them. "We're not actually here." Hope says. "Really, cause the two of you in my bed says otherwise." I state. "Look down at your hand." Landon says, I do so and notice the prism in my hand, with a sticky note attached to it. I take off the sticky note and take a closer look at it, it's from Lizzie. _I no longer have need of this, but you do. Love Lizzie._ I crumble the paper and toss it across the room. I then get up from my bed so that I'm not in between Hope and Landon.

"I can't believe my sister did this. I mean the least she could have done is place it on my nightstand so I wouldn't have to wake up to this." I gesture towards Hope and Landon. They look at each other then look at me.

"You know why she did it though right? I mean you haven't spoken to anyone since you got your memories back, and you have two people out there waiting to hear from you." Landon says.

"I know that, but it isn't easy."

"What's so hard? Clearly you love me, so just choose me and dump nerd boy over here." Hope says.

"Excuse me, but you lied to her for months, you really think she's gonna choose someone who lies to her over me." Landon argues.

"The only reason you were even with her is because I was gone, if I was still around you'd still be that guy who unleashed monsters on the school." Hope argues back. I put my hands on my head, I can't take this. Even my subconscious is messed up, how am I supposed to make a decision when my brain is so messed up.

"Looks like you've gotten yourself in the middle of a love triangle." I look up and see my mom in place of Hope and Landon.

"Mom?"

"Hey sweetie."

**HOPE**

"Reporting for portal duty." I turn to Lizzie from the bench I'm sitting at, Josie's not with her. I turn back towards the portal. "And cue broody Hope."

"Can you blame me?" I respond.

"Don't worry she'll come around."

"It's been days Lizzie."

"And you kept the truth from her for months." I open my mouth to say something, but close it because she does have a point. "Look, I left her my prism before coming here. It's helped me through some pretty tough stuff, maybe it'll do the same for her."

"Thanks, for everything."

"What are friends for?" I give her a small smile. "Now, while you have been all broody, I've never been better. My work has paid off, my mind is sharp. All perceived mental breakdowns were a figment of my imagination fed by two manipulative vampires who will remain forever my enemies."

"What's going on with Sebastian?" I ask.

"Headmaster Downtown Abbey wants to enroll him to keep him off the streets, but after deliberately letting me think that I was unwell, I will not let that happen." Lizzie promises.

"Might not be such a bad idea."

"Excuse me, as my friend you are supposed to be on my side."

"Think about it, we already have monsters we have to worry about, the last thing we need is a ripper on the loose too."

"I suppose you have a point, but still..."

"Greeting witches." Lizzie and I turn to see a...birdman, sitting on a bench next to us dressed in ancient Egyptian attire. Lizzie and I immediately stand up to face the new monster.

"Who the hell are you?" Lizzie asks.

"An answer for an answer. There are two sisters, one gives birth to the other, and the other, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are they?" The monster asks, I'm about to attempt to answer, but I notice a jogger coming our way, I get Lizzie's attention and gesture towards the jogger, she places her hand on my arm and begins to siphon from me.

"Sorry, no time for riddles. _Prohibere._ " The monster is freezes.

" _Invisique._ " Lizzie cloaks us.

**JOSIE**

"I don't know what to do mom." I say to holomom, that's what I'm calling her.

"I know honey. You're confused because you love Hope, but she lied to you. And Landon, he's a good guy, and while you may not love him like you do Hope, you probably would have fallen in love with in eventually, I mean you were ready to have sex with him, that's a pretty big step." Holomom says.

"I know you're just a prismatic hologram from my subconscious, but could we not bring up the sex thing, please."

"Sure thing."

"I really wish you were here, I mean I know why you're not, but I could really use one of your hugs right now. I'd take a thousand of your hugs over making this choice any day."

"Do you remember the thing I told you about choices?" Holomom asks.

"We always have one?" I question.

"Yes, but not the thing I was thinking of. When making a hard decision people often think they only have two choices, they focus so much on these two choices, that they never see the third."

"Are you saying I have a third option here?"

"I'm your subconscious, you already know what your third option is, you're just too focused on the other two to see it." Just as my mother says that I realize something, I look down at the prism and then back at her. "You've just thought of something."

"Hope thinks she's the only loophole, the only one that can close Malivore once she activates her vampire side, but there may be another way. It'll be a long shot, but one worth taking."

"Look at you looking for other options, now just do that for your love life and you'll be set."

"Thank mom."

"No problem honey."

**HOPE**

"Hey." I say as I walk into Alaric's office. "So, good news. We caught another monster, bad news we don't know what it is yet. The only thing we know about it so far is that it's Egyptian, which must mean that the zombie's road kill by now right? Unless Malivore is actually starting to send two monsters at a time, in which case 'kay." Alaric hugs me suddenly. "Uh, good morning to you too." This isn't awkward at all.

"You told me your story, but now, with the memories. I'm just happy to have you back."

"I wish everyone else felt the same." I pull away from the awkward hug.

"You're just gonna have to give them time."

"Actually planning on doing just that. I'm headed home to New Orleans to do research on how to close the portal with my aunt and her circle of witches, after I help Lizzie figure out what the latest monster is."

"Now, this trip to New Orleans, is it round-trip or one-way?"

"To be honest with you, I don't know."

"Well, little advice before you go, say goodbye, don't just leave." Alaric advises.

"Sure thing."

**JOSIE**

After I spoke with holomom, I dressed quickly and left my dorm to find Landon. He had been holed up in the library doing research on Malivore. I wasn't ready to talk to him yet, or Hope for that matter, but in order for my plan to work, I was going to need them both, so for today I was gonna have to suck it up. As soon as I arrived at the library I spotted Landon upstairs with Rafael, I went straight to him. "Hi." I greeted. "Hi." He greets back. "I'll give you guys some space." Raf says as he gathers some books and leaves, I sit in the chair Raf was sitting in. "So, does this mean you've finally made a choice?" Landon asks. "That's not why I'm here, but I am getting there." I respond, Landon seems disappointed. "Oh." He simply says. "I have a crazy idea." As soon as I explain everything to him, while hesitant at first, he agrees it's worth a try. We both get up to head to the headmaster's office, if he says this plan could work, then we can put the plan in motion. As soon as we arrive I explain everything to him, he's quiet at first, but eventually he speaks up.

"As crazy ideas go, this one certainly takes the cake." Vardemus says.

"But it could work right?" I ask.

"I suppose it could. However, it would require a certain level of black magic, and I know how your father feels about you practicing such sorcery."

"If it means closing the portal and stopping the monsters, he'll deal."

"Technically it is possible."

"Sweet." Landon says. Vardemus takes an object out from his desk and stands to show it to us.

"This trident will be of use. Are you sure you're ready for this?" Vardemus asks Landon.

"Technically, the only person who has to do anything dangerous is Hope."

"What do you think she'll say?"

"Probably that we lost our minds and should stay out of the hero business." Vardemus turns to me.

"And what will you say to her in return to convince her?" Vardemus asks me.

"I'll manage something. First let's do the spell, then I'll find Hope and inform her of the plan." 

**HOPE**

After I spoke with Alaric I went back to the school and entered the transition cells where we were holding the new monster. Lizzie was there arguing with the monster, he still wouldn't tell us what he was until we solved his riddle. "Do I look like a nerd to you?" The monster raises his nose at Lizzie and turns to face away from her. "Still no luck." I say. She just crosses her arms and walks towards me.

"Can't you beat him into telling us what he is?" Lizzie asks. I just smile at that.

"Or, I can google the riddle." Lizzie unfolds her arms and let's out an exasperated sigh.

"Why didn't I think of that?"

"Listen, after we figure out what he is, I'm leaving for New Orleans."

"What, why?"

"Give everyone time to adjust to their memories, spend some time with my aunts and cousin, and try to figure out a way to close the portal without having to jump it myself again."

"You sure this has nothing to do with Josie, about who she'll choose."

"No, my leaving Mystic Falls has nothing to do with Josie and her choice."

"Your leaving?" Lizzie and I turn to see Josie. I open and close my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

"Yes, now convince her not to please." Josie walks closer to us, she notices the new monster in the cell.

"What sort of monster is this?"

"An answer for an answer." The monster replies.

"And here we go again." Lizzie says annoyed.

"There are two sisters, one gives birth to the other, and the other, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are they?" The monster repeats the same riddle.

"Night and day." Lizzie and I look at Josie shocked, though we honestly shouldn't be. "The sisters are night and day."

"Your reward for answering correctly is to know that you are in the presence of the master of the ancient lands. The all-holy, ever divine sphinx." The three of us just look at him unimpressed, he notices. "People are usually more impressed."

"It's been a long semester." "I was expecting more." Josie and I say at the same time.

"Great now we know what he is, Josie convince your girlfriend that leaving is a mistake and that you want her to stay." Josie turns to Lizzie.

"Lizzie if Hope wants to hop a bus back home to New Orleans who am I to stop her?" Lizzie looks at Josie confused, I'm honestly a bit hurt. Josie then turns to me. "I do have one request before you go though."

"Sure anything." I say to her.

"Would you mind donating some of your blood. I think I might have found a way to close the portal, but it requires your blood to do so."

"Wait, seriously you found a way?"

"Yeah I think so." Josie turns and leaves, leaving both Lizzie and I shocked.

"Wait what's the plan?" Josie leaves the transition cells. "Josette Saltzman don't you walk away from us!" Lizzie goes after Josie.

"I hate it when she does that." I follow Lizzie in going after Josie, I guess my trip is going to be postponed.

**JOSIE**

After I told Lizzie and Hope I had a plan I left knowing they would follow me. I made my way to the common room and sat down on one of the couches, waiting for Lizzie and Hope to join me. Shortly after they arrived, with Lizzie not looking very happy with me. "Explain yourself Josette Saltzman." Lizzie says my full name as she sits down, I hate it when she calls me by my full name, only my parents do that when we're in trouble. I'm about to explain when I notice Landon spots me and starts running towards me.

"You both might want to sit down for this." I say as I stand up.

"Quite stalling Josie." Lizzie says.

" _Josie!"_ Hope and Lizzie turn towards Landon, who runs up to me and hugs me tightly. " _Where did you go, I missed you_." Landon says.

"Oh my god." Lizzie says in disgust. "Please tell me you didn't choose the hobbit over Hope."

" _You know you can be very mean sometimes_." Landon says pulling away from me slightly.

"There you are." Another Landon says as he runs up to us exhausted. Lizzie and Hope are looking at each other confused, then they both sit down. "How do you run so fast?"

"Josie...why are there two hobbits?"

" _Stop calling me that._ " Landon says

"Why don't you both sit down." I say and both Landon's sit on the couch next to me. I take a seat after and look at both Hope and Lizzie. "This." I gesture towards the Landon closest to me. "Is SimuLandon. I used the prism to manifest Landon's subconscious, and then I turned him into a golem." I turn to SimuLandon who is seated right next to me. "Show them." He brings his shirt down and shows then a very bright hole in his chest. "Headmaster Vardemus helped us. We used this object called a trident to bind the mind, body, and spirit of SimuLandon with a spell."

"What kind of spell?" Lizzie asks suspiciously.

"Nothing that you need to worry about." Lizzie gives me a look that says otherwise. "Black magic ok." Lizzie is already starting to react, I interrupt her before she can say anything though. "Headmaster Vardemus gave me this weird magical hourglass that prevents any side effects, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Josie, dad will melt you if you're dabbling in black magic."

"I'm not dabbling. I'm doing what needs to be done to close the portal, now unless anyone has any other ideas on how to do that, could I please continue?"

" _Yes please, I love hearing you talk._ " Landon groans, and Hope scoffs.

"We're gonna use him as a decoy. We'll let the sphinx take him into the portal..."

" _I don't want to go in the portal, I want to stay here with_ _you._ " SimuLandon takes hold of my hand, but I take it back.

"Uh, I think we need to talk to your subconscious about personal space." Hope states.

"I didn't realize he'd be so vocal." Landon says.

" _And I didn't realize you'd be here, what is this liar doing here anyway?_ " Hope's about to get up, but Lizzie holds her in place.

"I'm getting to that part. His existence isn't permanent, I bound him to the lunar cycle, so, when the moon reaches its apex tomorrow night SimuLandon will disintegrate."

" _What? Uh, no one told me that part?!_ "

"How does that close the portal." Hope asks, she looks like she's getting annoyed.

"That's where you come in. We need to pump SimuLandon full of your blood, so when he goes in, the Tribrid blood will close the portal."

"My blood isn't enough to keep the portal closed. I have to activate my vampire side. Malivore is just gonna spit him out and create a new portal." 

"Not if he disintegrates before there's anything to spit out. Portal closed, no new portal opens."

"And you thought it was smart to give Landon's subconscious a voice?" Lizzie asks.

"A lot went into this spell Lizzie, forgive me for not thinking to create a speechless golem." I snap back.

" _I love you Josie._ " Everyone looks at both SimuLandon and Landon in shock.

"You are so embarrassing, can't you just stop, please."

" _I can't help it. I want to shout it from the_ _rooftops_." SimuLandon stands. _"I love Josie..._ "

" _Ad somnum._ " Hope spells SimuLandon to sleep.

"Great, as if my life isn't complicated enough." I say.

"Sorry." Landon says. I let our a sigh and turn to Hope.

"So, are you in or out Hope?"

"This, this is a long shot, but you managed to bring back everyone's memories, if you can do that, I have no doubt this plan of yours will work. Let's get started."

"And afterwards you can project your subconscious so you can make your decision." Lizzie adds.

"Oh, trust me you don't want that." I say as I stand. "Let's prep Hope and SimuLandon."

**HOPE**

Landon dragged SimuLandon to his room and placed him on the chair, I was lying down on his bed when Lizzie came in with a device to help transfer my blood. Afterwards Lizzie dragged Landon away leaving Josie and I alone together. We both see what Lizzie's trying to do, but neither of us say anything. Josie attaches a needle through SimuLandon's hand, she then moves on to me. She's been quiet this entire time, and I can no longer bare it, so I decide to speak up.

"So, we're just not gonna talk." I say to Josie as she puts the needle through my arm.

"I think I said everything I needed to when you defeated the Croatoan."

"Ok, do you have anything to say about me leaving?"

"I'm sure it will be good for you to see your family, and after remembering you exist I'm sure they'd be glad to see you."

"Come on Josie just talk to me!" Josie just looks at me. "Maybe Lizzie was right, maybe you should just project your subconscious, if it's anything like this one it'll have a lot more to say than you."

"That's funny coming from you." I look up as Josie stands from the bed. "You spent months keeping quiet about who you were, and now your lecturing me about doing the same?"

"I apologized for that."

"No, you didn't actually."

"Well I'm sorry, ok. I'm sorry, if I could take it back I would, if I could go back in time and do it over again, I'd do things differently, but I can't do any of that. All I can do is apologize and try to make up for what I've done."

"And you think by leaving, your making up for what you've done?"

"I thought by leaving I'd be giving you the space you needed to make your decision, but clearly I was wrong about that too." There's silence between Josie and I again. 

"Your blood will start transferring to SimuLandon soon, so try to relax." Josie says before she turns and leaves. 

**JOSIE**

Ever since I found about Hope my emotions have been out of whack, my head just feels like it's screaming at me. I stop in the middle of the hallway and take a breath, but it does little to help. I need to focus, if I can't focus properly none of this will work. Maybe Vardemus can help me out, I walk straight to his office and ask for his help, he seems more than happy to. He places two pillows on the ground, and sets up candles. I take a seat while he lights the last of the candles.

"I feel like I'm going to explode." I confess to Vardemus. "Has that hourglass stopped working?"

"Not at all, but it holds black magic, not strong emotions." Vardemus explains.

"This is more that strong emotions. It feels like my head is screaming at me."

"Well, your girlfriend lied to you, and your twin helped her keep that secret. But fear not. There are other ways to release the demons dancing in you mind, the trident we used this morning. I believe you're finally strong enough for this."

"Are you sure, I haven't been practicing black magic for long."

"You are a powerful witch now, I'm honestly impressed by your growth. Now, close your eyes." I do so. "This spell will channel the rage, the sadness, everything into that object. It will transfer all the dark energy right out of you, repeat after me. _Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras. Quo animo transbit._ "

" _Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras. Quo animo transbit."_ I grab hold of Vardemus' arm and start siphoning from him. " _Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras. Quo animo transbit. Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras. Quo animo transbit._ "

"Keep your focus." I hear him say.

" _Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras. Quo animo transbit._ "

"This will be over soon." Why does he suddenly sound so different? I open my eyes and see Agent Clarke instead of Vardemus in front of me.

"Oh, my god." I want to do something, but I can't. I feel the spell has weakened me, and I pass out.

**HOPE**

" _So, why you leaving town_?" Oh god it's awake. I don't say anything, I just remain silent. I could do a spell, but my blood is literally being drained out of my body, so I don't have the energy for it. " _Come on. I'll be dead soon. What's the harm in talking._ "

"I don't want to stay because I don't want to be where I'm not welcomed." I reply.

" _But you belong here. It's a school for vampires, werewolves, and witches. You're all three_."

"On paper it makes sense, but in reality it's, it's complicated."

" _What's so complicated? Your friends don't want you to have to go into the portal, so they created me to die_." I don't say anything. " _It's because of her, isn't it. You feel like she doesn't want you here, so you think you're doing her a favor by leaving_." I sit up to do a sleep spell, but he sticks his hands out. " _Wait, wait. How can you not think she wants you here? The moment she found out you existed, she went to New Orleans to get help to restore everyone's memories of you, knowing that she was going to have a tough choice to make. And despite being angry with you, she came up with this whole plan to close the portal just so you wouldn't have to jump through that portal again. If she didn't want you here, do you really think she would have done all that for you in the first place?"_

"Why are you telling me all this, shouldn't you want me to leave, shouldn't you want Josie to pick you over me?"

" _Of course I do, but I'm Landon's subconscious and deep down Landon knows she's gonna pick you, he just really hope's she doesn't_."

"You really do say whatever's on you mind."

" _It must be the subconscious prism thing_." 

**JOSIE**

"Oh, Josie." I hear my father calling out to me, but it takes me a minute to open my eyes, when I do I'm in my father's arms, looking up at him with concern in his eyes. " Josie, baby."

"Dad, I think I did something bad." I quickly tell my father what happened.

"So, Vardemus is actually Agent Clarke?" My dad asks.

"Yeah, I recognized him from that time we went to Maple Hollow." My father helps me stand.

"Listen, this is what we're going to do. We're going to evacuate the school, and afterwards I'm going to patrol the school and look for that bastard."

"What about Hope. The blood transfer should be done by now, she won't be able to move for a while, she's lost too much blood."

"I'll take care of it, but you and the other students need to get out of here, now."

**HOPE**

"Take it easy." Alaric tells me as I wake. I hadn't even realized when I passed out. "The school's been evacuated, and you're in no shape to move. You'll be safe here." Alaric says as he stands up. I notice the crossbow in his hands, what the hell is going on?

"What's going on?" I ask.

"In a nutshell, Headmaster Vardemus was a Trojan horse for Agent Clarke, and the sphinx doesn't want Landon for reasons no one can decipher, and Josie accidently created a dark object of indeterminate power." Alaric explains, I attempt to sit up.

"I should help." Alaric stops me from getting up.

"No, hey. You have just enough blood in your veins to breathe. Lie here and heal while I go and patrol the school. I'll be right back." Alaric leaves.

"Oh hey." I sit up and look around to see where the voice came from. "Miss me?" Clarke appears, and I notice a ring on his finger glowing red. 

"Clarke? How did you get in here?" I ask.

"My trusty ring, creates illusions." He walks closer to me. "I thought I'd camp out while your friends emptied out the school."

" _Fluctus inpulsa._ " I attempt to do a spell, but when I raise my hands, Clarks shackles me, and I feel my magic cut off.

"I found these in the school armory. Spelled shackles that neutralize a witch's power. Yet another one of Ric's failsafe's against supernaturals." Clarke then grabs a nearby chair and pulls it closer to the bed.

"Yeah, please, go ahead, make yourself comfortable. And while you're at it, tell me what the hell you're doing here." I demand.

"I swore to my father I would come back and take you out, but my dad screwed me over yet again."

"How did he do that? Hmmm? He seems like such a lovely supernatural mastermind."

"My form started to break down. He put a ticking clock on me in order to control me. I had to consume people and monsters just to stay stable. Well, it didn't work. I burned through my monster food supply and I was still unstable." Clarke takes his hand and drags it across his face, he's skin breaking down as it does. "Once a mud man, always a mud man, but not anymore. I have a new solution, you. Why kill you when I can become a powerful Tribrid and stand up to my father once and for all?" 

"Ah, everybody wants to be a Tribrid until they actually have to be a Tribrid." Clarke pulls out an object from his jacket pocket.

"Mm, a little weapon your girlfriend Josie helped create today." Clarke cuts himself with it. "Now, my consciousness will transfer into the next person I cut." Clarke gets up and stands over me, holding the object close to me. "I know I shouldn't gloat, but you screwed me over, and now I get payback. I'm going to enjoy this." Clarke attempts to use the object on me, but I manage to stop him, I kick him as hard as I can and pull the ring off his finger, I quickly roll out of Landon's bed and get under it. I use the ring to make it look like I'm running out of the room. "You literally have no blood. How far do you think you can get?" Clarke leaves the room to chase after the illusion of me. I use the ring as long as I can, until Clarke realizes it's all an illusion. I get up and lock the door, but as soon as I do I hear a loud knock.

"Cute little trick, now open the door Hope." I turn around and head towards the window. I look down, it isn't that far of a jump, I can feel myself healing, so I might be able to make it without dying or breaking anything. Clarke breaks part of the door down with the object, now or never Hope. I jump down, I don't exactly land on my feet, but I'm alive and intact, I try to put as much distance between myself and Clarke, but I'm still not at 100%, so I'm moving slower than I'd like.

"Somebody help! Somebody help!" I turn around and see Clarke, he grabs my neck.

"Nowhere to go, not one to help you." Clarke says as he raises the object, for a second I think I'm done for, then a hand grabs Clarke's arm. We both turn to see it's Josie, I've never been so glad and terrified to see her. "Oh hello Josie." Clarke says.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to never piss off a witch." Josie siphons from Clarke and he screams out in pain, letting go of me in the process. "After all, hell hath no fury like a witch scorned. _Ignalusa._ " Josie let's go of Clarke and sends him flying with a fire spell, she immediately comes to my side, as I take a closer look at her I notice she isn't doing to well.

"You really did help him create that dark object."

"In my defense I thought he was helping get rid of some negative emotions." Clarke gets up again. "How long before you heal?" With a flick of her wrist I'm released from my shackles.

"A minute, maybe five."

"So two nearly drained witches versus him." Clarke starts walking our way. "We got this." Josie and I create two balls of fire, but just as Clarke is inches from us, he's tackled by Landon.

"I heard screaming." Landon says to us. I was about to say it was me, but Landon get's punched by Clarke.

"Hello brother, so nice to see you." Clarke says to Landon. Landon shakes off the punch.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt Josie."

"Are you guys even still together? The relationship drama it's so hard to keep up with sometimes." Landon goes for another punch, but Clarke blocks it. This goes on for a bit as Josie and I just stand there and watch. "I just don't get it. What does our father see in you?" Clarke throws Landon to the ground. "Sure, you can regenerate, but you have no magic." Clarke kicks Landon.

"Should we help him?" Josie asks.

"Someone always has to swoop in and save you." Clarke continues.

"No, looks like they have family issues to resolve, besides Clarke's making some fair points." I answer Josie.

"You're pathetic." Clarke states.

"I don't care what you or our father think of me, I only care about her." Landon points at Josie.

"Now I'm really hoping Clarke kills him." Josie gives me a pointed look. "What?" Landon manages to get Clarke in a headlock.

"You don't need Hope, you need me, so do it." Landon says, though he as Clarke in a headlock, Clarke is still holding the trident.

"Landon no!" Josie says, but it's no use. Landon guides Clarke's hand and he stabs himself with the trident.

"Not what I planned, but at least phoenixes are immortal." Clarke says, and Landon pulls down his shirt revealing he's actually SimuLandon.

" _Now you die tomorrow_." Landon throws the trident down. " _Boom, I rule_."

"Oh, come on." Clarke says as his consciousness goes into SimuLandon. " _Well this just took a turn._ " Josie and I walk up to Clarke, whose now in SimuLandon's body. " _You're gonna whammy me, aren't you?_ "

"I am." I say.

" _Remember that I'm already dealing with the trauma of knowing I'm dying._ "

"I will."

" _Kind of makes the whole sacrifice a little less romantic though, no?_ " Clarke turns to Josie. _"I mean where is the real deal?_ " I blast Clarke with a fire ball.

"I know it's not the real thing, but that still felt good." Josie just shakes her head at me.

**JOSIE**

_I learned today that no matter how hard we try, we can't solve the monster problem. I'm sorry to do this, I really wanted to avoid this pain, but it's been long enough. And sometimes pain is unavoidable. I've come to the realization that monsters aren't the only problem. I'm the problem too. I am at the center of all this heartache. So, I have to leave Mystic Falls, knowing that they'll follow me. I have to let you live your lives without monster and without me. I hope you can forgive me for this someday, but I understand if you don't. With love and regret, Landon._

My sister and I are sitting on my bed reading Landon's diary entry. I shouldn't be surprised that he left, he's been blaming himself for the monsters ever since they first showed up last year, but I thought he would at least say goodbye to me in person before leaving. "That no good coward!" Lizzie stands from my bed angry. "What is he thinking just up and leaving like that without saying a proper goodbye to you." Lizzie begins to pace back and forth in our room. "What's done is done Lizzie." Lizzie stops pacing our room. "He made his decision" I tell her. "How can you be so cool about this?" She asks me. "This weeks been an emotional rollercoaster, plus the spell I did earlier transferred all my negative emotions into that trident so..." There's a knock on our door, the door then opens to reveal Hope.

"Uh, hi. Can I talk to Josie for a sec?" Hope asks as she enters our room.

"I'll go get some ice." Lizzie walks towards the door and turns around. "Landon left by the way." Lizzie exits our room.

"When did he leave?" Hope asks as she sits on my bed.

"Not sure. We just found out now, he wrote in he's journal with Penelope's pen."

"Hmm. Ok, seriously what did you see in that guy?"

"Hey, take it easy on him. It wasn't that long ago when you liked him. If you and I hadn't gotten together, you probably would have ended up with him."

"Don't ever say that again." Hope and I smile at each other. "How are you feeling?"

"Used, but I'm glad you're ok." I reply.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm just a little drained."

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

"You should get some rest."

"Oh yeah I will. But, um I wanted to talk to talk to you first." I nod my head yes. "So, when I had your dad burn all my things, I had him do it because I didn't think I was going to come back, I honestly thought that once I jumped into Malivore, that was it. I didn't want you to mourn someone you couldn't remember, I wanted you to move on and be happy. Of course though things didn't go according to plan." Hope and I chuckle at that. "I really am sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"For what? You have nothing to be sorry about."

"While, I meant everything I said the day I restored everyone's memories, I was angry when I said them. And in my anger I never acknowledged how hard it must have been for you, I mean you were in Malivore with Clarke and all those monsters, then you came back to a world that had forgotten you existed, and when you went looking for me, you saw me with someone else." I see tears falling from Hope's eyes. "I can't even imagine what you went through, I'm not even sure I want to." Hope pulls me into a hug. I hold her until her tears subside.

"Um, I wanted to know if it was ok with you if I came back to school. I miss it. I miss my classes, morning meetings, super squad. I even miss Lizzie being mean to me. I miss you. But, I won't come back if my being here brings you anymore pain." I grab hold of Hope's hand.

"This is as much your home as it is mine, you grew up here same as me. You belong here, no matter what happens between us you don't need my permission to come back." Hope smiles at that and pulls me into another hug.

"I realize I may be ruining the moment, but I have to ask, did you ever make your choice?"

"I did. I chose me." Hope pulls away to look at me. "I realized I'm not in the emotional state to be in any sort of relationship right now. I need time to myself, I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear." Hope gives me a wide smile and hugs me again.

"I'm just glad you didn't choose Landon." I laugh at that, then I notice Lizzie enter our room, and I pull away from Hope and gesture in Lizzie's direction.

"Something told me we needed a bit of comfort food." Lizzie says as she joins Hope and I on my bed. "I can tell we are al feeling a lot of emotions right now." Hope and I grab a spoon while Lizzie opens the ice cream lid. "So, get this, dad says that I'm not allowed to give Sebastian the boot until he has checked him out. And now that there's no headmaster, no one is going to punish MG for his weaselly little ways. How ridiculous is that?"

"Totally ridiculous." I say.

"Super ridiculous." Hope says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is happy with Josie's choice, at least for now.


	8. THIS CHRISTMAS WAS SURPRISINGLY VIOLENT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas in October, because for some reason it's still October in the show :-/

** THIS CHRISTMAS WAS SURPRISINGLY VIOLENT **

** HOPE **

After I knocked Clarke out last night, Josie and I threw him into one of the transition cells. Even though his consciousness was now in SimuLandon's body, my blood still flowed through him, so we could still toss him in the portal to close it permanently. As soon as I woke up the next day I quickly got ready and headed to the transition cells, when I arrived Clarke was in front of a mirror looking at himself. "Ah, yes, I did a spell to alter your appearance." Clarke turns to me and I reveal the illusion ring. "Turned you into the most vile thing I could imagine." I tell him.

"I just look like me." He comments.

"Then I nailed it."

"Huh, I guess this is better than staring at Landon's sad little face." Clarke steps closer to the cell bars. "I have to admit, I'm glad you're here." I raise a brow in confusion.

"You clearly hate me, so I can't imagine why."

"Because there's still time for you to come to your senses before you toss me into the pit." I step closer to the cell bars as well.

"One, it's more of a ditch; two, I'm really looking forward to it; and three, you're trapped inside a magically created body that expires at midnight. Save your breath, there's no one coming for you. You're going into a grave you dug for yourself." I say with a satisfied grin.

I turn and leave Clarke, as I step into the main hall I notice some of the student putting up Christmas decorations, I guess they decided to get started early. I make my way outside where it is snowing, students are throwing snowballs and riding sleighs. I'm so focused on all this, I don't see the snowball that hits me, I look up and notice it was Kaleb who hit me. Kaleb starts walking up to me with a smile on his face. "Kaleb, what the hell is going on?" I ask.

"Don't be a Scrooge Hope, it's Christmas." Kaleb responds.

"No, it's October."

"Christmas is a state of mind." Kaleb walks to my side. "It's a feeling in the air." Kaleb puts he arm around my shoulders. "Now, you feeling it?"

"Definitely feeling something."

A few minutes later the Christmas spirit seems to be everywhere. In just a short amount of time, all the Christmas decorations are up, there's food laid out, and Kaleb is singing 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas'. I hear laughter behind me, I turn to see Alaric and Dorian walking towards me. "Dr. Saltzman, I need your help." When they come into view I see they are both merry and wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. "What are you wearing?" I ask.

"Dorian had an extra one, lucky me right?" Alaric says.

"No, Ric. We're the lucky ones." Dorian then addresses the rest of the students. "Because Dr. Saltzman is gonna spend Christmas with us." Everyone applauds and cheers.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I needed to find Lizzie, I can't be the only one not affected by this Christmas cheer. I head over to the twins room and open the door.

"Lizzie!"

"We get it Hope, you're back, now disappear again." Lizzie states.

"Ah, you're still a bitch. Thank god." I go over to Lizzie's bed and hug her.

"What? What is happening?" I let go of Lizzie.

"I don't know. It's like everyone in the school is happy except for us. Too happy, like scary happy, merry even. They all think that it's Christmas, and the snow probably doesn't help." Lizzie gets up at the mention of snow.

"It's snowing." Lizzie approaches her window. "How?

"Uh, an another monster I'm guessing."

"This is terrible news. It's freaking fall." Lizzie walks away from the window. "Not winter. What am gonna wear." She heads over to a trunk to gather winter clothes. Then the door bursts open, Josie runs in taking off her shoes and jumping on Lizzie's bed, wrapping the covers over herself.

"Why the hell is it snowing outside, and why are all the Christmas decorations up, it's October." Josie says shivering.

"Oh my god Josie what happened?" Lizzie goes to her sisters side and wraps her arm around her.

"I was by the docks, I was using the prism you gave me, and it suddenly got cold, then it started snowing. I made my way back to the school and got caught in the middle of a snowball fight."

"Hope get in on this." Lizzie says to me, I'm taken back by this.

"Uh, is that such a good idea?"

"We can discuss how awkward it is later, right now I need your werewolf warmth, you know I don't do well in the cold." I lay down next to Josie and wrap an arm around her."

"Feeling better sis?" Lizzie asks Josie.

"Getting there, so anybody wanna share what's going on?"

"Hope thinks it's another monster."

"It's the only thing that makes sense." I say.

"So, what do we do?" Josie asks.

"Lizzie I'm gonna need you to hit the road. Josie, you and I will try to figure out what monster is causing this and destroy it." I instruct.

"You want me to quest for Frodo Baggins, don't you?" Lizzie asks. "I thought the monsters weren't after him now."

"We don't know what they want, or even who they're working for anymore. Landon may be able to survive in the real world on his own, but he won't be able to survive the monsters if they do continue to go after him."

"Hope's right. He's a lot safer here than he is out there." Josie adds.

"Fine, a little locator spell and then off to Mordor I go."

"Ho, ho, ho!" Josie, Lizzie and I look sit up and see MG standing by the door with a tray of cookies in hand, wearing the biggest smile I have ever seen. "I come bearing gifts, more like a peace offering really."

"It's going to take more than cookies to make up for what you've done." Lizzie states.

"Aw, come on Lizzie, Christmas is all about forgiveness right. Cookie?" MG holds up the tray, and somehow he's smile just seems to grow wider, it's just plain creepy.

"Run." I tell Lizzie. She gets up slowly and practically runs out the door. I clear my throat. "What kind of cookie?"

After Josie and I sent MG away we head to the library, she heads straight for the books while I make a list of monster suspects, as I'm making a list I hear carolers singing 'Deck the Halls'. I needed to figure out what monster this was and fast. My list consists of five suspects so far, Jack Frost, Heat Miser, Yeti, The Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman. I scratch out Heat Miser and The Grinch, I'm about to scratch out Frosty the Snowman when my pencil breaks due to the carolers. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. 'Tis the season to be jolly..."

"I'm trying to work!" The carolers stop singing. "So, if you don't fa-la-la-la leave, I'm gonna give you all another piercing." I hold up my broken pencil and they scramble to leave.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Kaleb says as he sits down with a bowl of egg nog. "Sounds like someone could use a little help getting in the spirit."

"You want to help? Find me an ax."

"So, that's a neg on the nog?"

"I need to figure out what monster's making everyone so freaking merry, then kill it."

"Whoa, that's naughty as hell Hope. I gotta do all I can to make it on Santa's nice list. 'Cause I've been asking for this one thing every Christmas, and, uh, I never got it. But I'm hoping that this is the year." Kaleb slurps on the egg nog. "Oh, hell yeah. You sure you don't want to hit this?"

"If I started hitting stuff now, I might never stop." Josie joins us and places the books on the table.

"Hey Kaleb, mind giving us a minute." Josie asks.

"Sure thing. You want some egg nog before I go."

"No, thank you."

"Alright then, see you guys around." Kaleb gets up with the bowl of egg nog and leaves. Josie leans in and looks at my list of suspects.

"Is this seriously your list?" Josie asks.

"I'm not finished, so don't judge." I respond.

"Ok, well Jack Frost is known to leave frosty, fern-like patterns on windows on cold winter mornings, Heat miser is an ogre or demon-like being who controls all warm weather all over the world, the yeti is basically the Abominable Snowman, the Grinch steals Christmas, he doesn't spread Christmas cheer, and Frosty the Snowman is literally just a snowman who only comes to life with the help of a magical hat." I toss my pencil and shut my journal. 

"Well, I'm all out of ideas, you got any betters ones." I say while I cross my arms over my chest. Josie pulls out a chair and sits next to me.

"I kinda get why Lizzie's feeling a bit down, but why do you. Everyone remembers you, your back at school, you and I are on good terms, with the exception of all this Christmas cheer, everything is basically back to normal, so why are you so miserable?"

"Just all of this holiday stuff, I mean I used to love the holidays, but I lost a lot of my family, and everything changed. Everyone's running around here all thankful for what they have, and I just realize everything I'm missing." Josie places her hand over mine.

"You know, ever since your parents passed, you never did go back home for the holidays. I realize it wouldn't be the same without them, but you still have family around, family that loves you. You should consider visiting them this year for the holidays." I just hum in response. "Or, you me and Lizzie could spend the holidays together. Just the three of us, we don't have to do anything extravagant or big you know, just spend time together."

"That actually sounds nice." Josie smiles at that. "So, why are you miserable?" I ask.

"I'm not. I mean I'm not exactly jolly either, I'm just neutral, if that makes sense."

"Yeah." I let out a breath. "Well, we can't be the only ones immune to the Christmas spirit, there's got to be someone around here as miserable as I am." As I say that a light bulb goes off in my head, Josie notices as well, it take her a minute to figure out who I'm thinking of.

"You're not thinking..."

"We may not have a choice."

**TRANSITION CELL**

"You're right. I am miserable, so why would I help you?" Clarke asks.

"Believe me, I wish that there was another option, but you're the only one around here, beside Josie and I, that's not eating figgy pudding." I reply.

"Plus, this time of year is all about kindness and helping people out." Josie adds.

"Hmm, on the bright side, me being miserable must be why I'm immune to the Christmas spirit, plus the fact that I've never even had Christmas." Clarke snaps his finger. "That's it. You want my help figuring out your monster? Let me eat, drink, and be merry for once in my life. Go out with a bang." Josie and I look at each other then back at Clarke. "Now, should old acquaintance be forgot?" I was going to regret this decision.

We let Clarke out of the cell and made our way to the common area where everyone else was already gathered. Dorian was out and about handing out ribbon for everyone to write their Christmas wish. Josie grabbed a plate full of food for Clarke and brought it over to him. I stood behind him watching as he finished his first plate and asked Josie for another. Josie grabbed a second plate of food for him and brought it over, as Clarke was eating his second helping Pedro came over and approached Josie with a ribbon in hand. "For you." Pedro said. Josie smiled as she grabbed the ribbon and thanked him. "What's your wish Jo?" Pedro asked. "Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't come true." Pedro smiles and walks off, I give Josie a pointed look. "What?" She asks.

"Are you giving in to the Christmas spirit, because remember it's October." I say.

"I know that, but I do have to start thinking about what I'm gonna get everyone for Christmas." I shake my head at her and look back a Clarke.

"Wow, you really are the son of a bottomless pit." Clarke grabs a ribbon and pen from one of the students and hands her his plate. "Thanks." Clarke turns towards me. "Here. Turn" Clarke turns me around so he could use my back to write on the ribbon.

"Quite stalling. Tell me what we're looking for before I run out of goodwill towards mud men, and there are unpleasant consequences." 

"Mm, my best guess, the Krampus." Clarke says as he walks towards the fire place.

"What the hell is a Krampus?"

"Well, it's the monster that brought all this snow and ice to town. Think of it as the anti-Santa. Santa Clause rewards good boys and girls right? Well, the Krampus does the opposite. It seeks out hatred and anger instead of peace and joy."

"We're literally surrounded by peace and joy." Clarke tosses his ribbon into the fire then turns to me.

"Not for long."

"What did you just do?"

"You should be proud of me Hope. I took a page out of your playbook. I found another loophole." I dragged Clarke into an empty room and spelled it, locking him inside.

" _Cloustrum._ " The door behind me closes. "You're spelled inside this room. Now, what exactly did you wish for?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Because as you can attest, I've been a very bad boy this year." I use magic to squeeze his throat, preventing him from being able to breath properly.

"Unpleasant consequences remember? Now what did you wish for?"

"A savior." I release his throat and he let's out a gasp. "Instead of going after Landon, the Krampus is coming to rescue me instead of going after him. And it'll kill anyone dumb enough to get in its way."

"Not if we're ready for it."

"By 'we' do you mean the school full of idiot kids drunk on Christmas cheer? Or the grown men running around actually drunk, believing that Santa Claus is real? Good luck dampening their spirits and getting them to listen to you."

"You leave that to me." I leave Clarke in the room and go out to the common room where everyone is still jolly. "Can I have everyone's attention." I say, but everyone ignores me.

"Here, this might help." I turn to see Josie giving me the talisman I got for her birthday.

"I didn't think you still had it." I say to her surprised, as I grab hold of it.

"I still had it, I just locked it away in box." I look up from the necklace. "It always made me sad, and I didn't know why until I brought back everyone's memories." I put the necklace on and turn to face everyone.

" I need everyone's attention." I say louder. The chatter stops, and Kaleb stops the music. "I have bad news, a Krampus is headed our way." Someone coughs, Kaleb resumes the music and cheering and laughter resume. I start to get furious.

"Ok, I see you getting angry, I need you to take a breath before..."

" _Concido._ " I break the record player, blow up the lights, and make all the Christmas food explode.

"You do that." Josie finishes.

"All right! I didn't want to deploy the nuclear option, but Santa's not real. He's a myth, and you're all acting like a bunch of children, so let's just put the partridge in a pear tree and grow the hell up." I turn to see Pedro's sad face, he gets up and runs away.

"She's right." Alaric says as he hands his mug back and takes off his ugly sweater. "This was all too good to be true." Alaric makes he's way over to Josie and I. "I-I uh, don't know what came over us. All right you all heard her. Dorian, hit the books figure out how the Krampus operates. Josie, Kaleb, we need to set a trap for this thing. Everyone else, get the kids to bed and gather weapons, and someone bring me a crossbow." Everyone gets to work, I stop Josie before she goes with Kaleb.

"Sorry, it seems I made everyone as miserable as me, including Pedro." I apologize to Josie.

"Don't apologize, you're saving us, again." Josie says to me, but I still feel a bit bad.

"What about Pedro, kids are supposed to grow out of the whole Santa thing, not get told he doesn't exist by some Grinch." Josie laughs at that.

"The great thing about kids, they're easily influenced. We'll just dress up dad as Santa on actual Christmas day." I smile at that.

"I'm sorry what now?" Alaric questions as he realizes we're talking about him.

"Kaleb let's set up that trap." I hand Josie her talisman back before she and Kaleb leave. I go to check on Clarke, but when I get there, Krampus has already arrived. He has his very long, disgusting tongue around Clarke. I picked up a knife I spotted on the ground and throw it, cutting the Krampus' tongue in half.

"I'm guessing you're the Krampus." He screeches at me. " _Mittent._ " I throw Krampus against the wall with magic. "I'm Hope, and I find the holidays really stressful." Krampus disappears in a cloud of smoke up the chimney. "Damn it, that thing could be anywhere." I'm about to leave when Clarke stops me.

"Wait. I thought my father was bringing the Krampus to save me, but I was wrong. He must have known I was planning to jump into a new body and screw him over again." Clarke says.

"How?" I ask.

"Well, I don't know, but if you let me go, I can make it to the portal before the Krampus kills me."

"Nice try, but fool me once, and all."

"What if there was a way that I could prove to you that I'm on your side?" Clarke hands me the knife I used to save him. "That I'm telling the truth."

**JOSIE**

The school is dark as we all wait for Krampus to return. Suddenly we hear him return, Kaleb and I peek through the common room, we look at each other, then I look back at Krampus. " _Illustrant._ " All the Christmas lights are lit, and Christmas music is playing again. The Krampus looks around confused as all the students come out, gathering around Krampus. Kaleb grabs some Christmas lights and wraps them around the Krampus. I see Pedro in front holding up a sharpened candy cane, I kneel down to his level. "You're supposed to be in bed." I grab the candy cane and place him behind two witches. Dad raises his crossbow and shoots an arrow straight to Krampus' heart, as he falls to his death, the Christmas lights go out. "Straight in the heart, that's how you kill a Krampus. Anyone want some cocoa?" Dorian asks. "Yeah, sure, why not? It's Christmas." My dad replies. "Wait, you two are still merry. It it's dead, then why hasn't this lunacy stopped?" Hope asks. Suddenly we see the Krampus' bag begin to move, it looks like something is trying to get out. "Everyone stay back, whatever's in that thing is coming out." Hope says. Suddenly we all see Santa come out of the bag. "Ho, ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't be merry on this special night." Santa says, everyone begins to murmur. Pedro looks to see Santa. "Ho, ho, ho, ho. It's the magic of Christmas, Miss Mikaelson. It's the most wonderful time of the year." Oh my god it's freaking Santa Klaus!

**HOPE**

"Santa?" I question. "I can't believe you're real."

"Well, of course you can. You see, my dear Hope, belief is what makes things real." Santa says. Alaric raises his hand.

"Uh, yes?" Santa questions.

"How did you know her name?" Alaric asks.

"Because everyone was a child once, and I remember each and every one. Besides, a name like Alaric is pretty tough to forget. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!" Everyone laughs at that. "I-I must thank you all for bringing me back. It's been hard, all these years, being trapped in that awful dark place, unable to spread joy around the world." There's a screeching sound. The Krampus is alive and well. "Because of you." Santa says, and Krampus gets out of the Christmas lights Kaleb wrapped him in. Santa approaches the Krampus.

"I thought I killed that damn thing." Alaric says.

"Language Dr. Saltzman. Don't blame yourself for missing the Krampus' heart is very small, and this is my fight." Santa says I'm about to help when Alaric stops me.

"Wait, Hope, no. You heard the man, this one's personal.

"So, you thought you could steal Christmas did you? Ho, ho, no." Santa punches Krampus. He moves around at an alarming speed, continuing to thrown punches at Krampus.

"Dude's fast." I hear Kaleb say. Santa speeds to Krampus again, picks him up and body slams him. "Like really fast." Santa stands and walks over to Kaleb.

"How do you think I make it to all those houses in one night?" Santa winks at Kaleb. Krampus stands up and charges towards Santa.

"You better watch out!" Alaric shouts, but Krampus tackles Santa.

"Santa!" I throw the knife towards Santa and he catches it. He cuts Krampus' chest open and thrusts his hands through and pulls out his heart. Everyone cheers and Santa turns to show us the Krampus' heart.

"See, very small indeed." After some time all the excitement died down and Santa left. I heard the phone ringing, no one else was around, so I picked it up, I was surprised to hear Clarke on the other side.

"Can't say I expected to talk to you again." I say to him.

"Me neither, but before I die, I wanted to tell you that you're wrong. I don't hate you, and that the truth spell you cast on me is still working, obviously. The snow melted, I'm assuming that means the Krampus is dead?" Clarke says.

"Yup, Santa Klaus killed him. This Christmas was surprisingly violent."

"In that case, I have a clean run to the portal. At least I can enjoy the last ten minutes of my life."

"Well if you want to talk, I'll listen for as long as I can."

"I think I'm jealous of you Hope, because you're just as screwed up as I am, but your friends still love you. Guess I always wanted to believe my father could do the same."

"Anything can be real if you believe in it enough."

"Merry Christmas Hope."

"Merry Christmas Clarke." We both hang up the phone.

**JOSIE**

After Santa left and all the students went to bed, I helped Dorian take down all the Christmas decorations inside the school. While today turned out to be jolly indeed, it was still October. As we took down the last of the decorations my father entered his old office with a Christmas present in hand.

"I've been looking for you. What are you guys doing?" Dad asks.

"Packing up Christmas." I reply.

"Well, it's not over yet, because Santa left this for you." Dad hands me the present, but I don't take it.

"Then that's for you."

"Really, what do you think it is?"

"It's perfect." Dad opens the gift to find his old headmaster plaque.

**HOPE**

After talking on the phone with Clarke, I decided I needed some fresh air. As I stepped outside I noticed the Christmas lights were still up, I guess Dorian and Josie would get to these in the morning. I suddenly hear the sound of sleigh bells, I look up and see a red streak in the sky. "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas Hope!" I look up and smile as Santa disappears into the night sky, as I turn around I see Landon approaching and my smile fades. "Hey." He says. "Is Josie around?" He asks. "She just finished taking down some of the Christmas decorations with Dorian, so she might be in her room." I answer. "Thanks." Landon says as he goes inside the school. I know I sent Lizzie to go get him, but seeing him again made me sick to my stomach. 

**JOSIE**

**FLASHBACK**

_I had just finished washing off all the dirt from the grave my biomom buried me in. Hope had mentioned that she was possessed to do it by someone else, though they had no idea who. I had figured as much, I didn't think she'd bury her own daughter on purpose. I had left the bathroom only to find MG and Penelope talking and laughing, I thanked MG for his help and turned to leave, but of course Penelope always had something to say. While she was going on about the selfish and the selfless, I noticed Hope around the corner. "Hey Hope." I said to her. "Am I interrupting something?" Hope asked. "No, Penelope was just leaving." I reply. Penelope scoffs and leaves, Hope comes closer to me and notices I'm still wearing the talisman she gifted me. She grabs it and runs her finger through it._

_"I still can't believe you wore it." Hope says._

_"Of course I did, it was a gift from you." Hope smiles at that, then her face turns grim._

_"I'm sorry." I look at Hope confused. "I should have been there, but instead I chose to spend your birthday alone in my room, instead of helping you get ready and escorting you to your birthday party."_

_"Hope don't be so hard on yourself."_

_"It's my fault you almost died! Ok, this is the exact reason why I didn't want to get close to anybody."_

_"Hope, wither you showed up or not, it wouldn't have mattered. I still would have gone to see my biological mother, and I would have still been buried alive." Hope turns away from me. "Listen, before you decide to stop being my friend, just know that the only reason I'm standing here alive is because of you. If it hadn't been for your gift, MG might not have found me in time." Hope turns back to face me. "And if you want to be angry at someone, be angry at whatever monster brought my biological mother back from the dead, and possessed her to bury me in the first place, because it is that monster's fault that I ended up in the ground not yours." Hope and I are silent for a moment. "I have to go back, my father wanted to speak to my sister and I before we went to bed." I turn to leave, but I feel Hope grab my hand and pull me into a tight hug. I feel the tears falling from her face._

_"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I just...thought I was gonna lose you." I smile into the hug._

_"Something tells me as long as you're around, you'll never lose me."_

**END FLASHBACK**

When I got up this morning I noticed I never did put the box that was holding the talisman away. I took the talisman out of the box and taken the prism with me to the dock. I had spoken holomom about the necklace, how it had saved my life once, but when Hope was wiped from existence, it brought nothing but heartbreak and tears. How despite returning everyone's memories back, I still hadn't thought to wear it. Somehow that discussion turned into how I hadn't still chosen between Hope and Landon, and once I did that, I would decide wither or not to wear the talisman again. And then the temperature dropped and it started snowing and I put it on without realizing it. I hadn't realized until I saw Hope in the common room trying to get everyone's attention. I guess in the end, I made a decision without realizing it. "That's not a good sign." I look up from my talisman to see Landon at my door.

"You came back." I say to Landon with a smile.

"You're sister was quite persuasive." Landon enters my room and sits next to me. "I guess I know who you chose."

"In another universe, you and I could have worked, but in this one, my heart will always belong to Hope." Landon lightly chuckles.

"You know, when I first started at this school I was jealous of you." I turn to face Landon as he explains further. "When I first met Hope, I could tell there was a spark right away, and when I saw her again two years later the spark was still there. But then I screwed that up when I stole the knife, ran away, lied about having the knife, and then ran away again. But when you told me I was supernatural and I would be allowed to go here, I thought, maybe Hope and I still had a chance. I could work on gaining her trust, and once I did we could be together, but that didn't happen. Instead, she grew closer to you, and eventually you two got together."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I got over it eventually. I mean you two had more of a spark then Hope and I did, than you and I did." I pull Landon into a hug.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, it'll take some time, but yeah." Landon pulls away from the hug, we smile at each other one more time before he leaves my room. I look down at the talisman one more time before putting it on and leaving my room.

**HOPE**

I'm sitting at the steps of the school, knees pulled to my chest, head on my knees. I wonder how the conversation between Josie and Landon is going. I hear the door open behind me, I turn to see that it's Josie. She gives me a small smile, I return it and place my head back on my knees. She closes the door behind me and sits next to me. "If you're here to tell me that you're getting back together with Landon, can it wait until tomorrow. I'd like this day to end on a good note." I say to her without looking at her. "You always did think the worst." Josie says, I turn to her surprise written all over my face.

"No matter what I did, no matter how much time I spent with Landon, I always felt heartbroken, like something was missing from my life, except when I was with you. I love you Hope Mikaelson, even when I couldn't remember you, and especially when you were in that football uniform." I laugh at that.

"I love you too Josette Saltzman, I loved you when you didn't even know it. You're my epic love, my always and forever." Josie smiles at that.

"Look up." Josie says and I do so, mistletoe appears, I look back down at Josie with the biggest smile I can muster and pull her into a kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, when I decided to write this fic, it was mainly because I didn't like how the writers wrote Josie, and also because Hosie is my favorite ship. After the Christmas episode it looks like things are going back to normal, or at least how they were in season 1, so unless I feel otherwise, there probably won't be another chapter out until episode 12, when Kai Parker returns. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and aren't too disappointed in my decision.


	9. KAI PARKER SCREWED US

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, after the episode came out I got sick and it took me longer to recover than usual, but I'm back, enjoy.

**KAI PARKER SCREWED US**

**JOSIE POV**

After we sent the sand clock to the prison world Lizzie and I came back to our room. As soon as we did she immediately went to lie down on her bed. Something had been bothering her lately, and I have a feeling it has to do with Sebastian. "Shouldn't you be celebrating? Your plan worked." I ask. "Yeah, but with the drama over, I don't have anything to distract myself anymore." Lizzie replies. "Distract you from what?" I question, but she doesn't answer, which only confirms my feeling. I let out a sigh and lay down next to my sister. I wrap my arm around her and place my head on her chest. "It's ok to miss him." I say in an attempt to comfort her. "I know I shouldn't care. Sebastian wasn't a great guy, but still..." Suddenly my sister and I hear footsteps approaching our room, we sit up to see Hope, she's about to say something when my sister interrupts her.

"If you're here to whisk my sister away you can't, I need twin cuddle time." Lizzie states as she wraps her arms around me.

"I was gonna check in before whisking her away, but I guess that's out of the question." Hope replies.

"Sorry Hope, you're more than welcome to stay if you want." I say to her.

"No, it's fine. Your sister clearly needs you, I don't want to get in the way of that. I just wanted to make sure you were both ok."

"Yeah, and hey those lesson's with Landon seem to be going well, keep up the good work sensei."

"I still can't believe you're ok with me training your ex." Hope says as she walks closer to the bed.

"Hey, think of this way, you can get back at Landon for stealing Josie. Besides, it's about time the hobbit pulls his weight around here." Hope hums in agreement.

"Come on guys take it..." Suddenly Lizzie and I are in front of the Salvatore school, we look at each other confused. We enter the school and go to the what's supposed to be the common room, but it looks different. When we get there we see our dad with a piece of a wooden chair, Lizzie and I run to him.

"Dad? Where are we?" Lizzie asks.

"We're in a prison world." He replies.

"I thought you said the worlds would be identical." I say confused.

"It's not the one you made today. It's-it's the one you made when you were kids."

"Why are we here?" I ask.

"I'm guessing Alyssa Chang wants to teach me a lesson." He replies.

"For what?" Lizzie asks.

"The miseducation of young minds." Lizzie and I turn around to see Sebastian behind us, Lizzie's surprised to see him.

"Sebastian?"

"Hello Elizabeth. Fancy meeting you here." Lizzie turns to our dad, who's gone to a mini bar to pour himself a drink.

"You lied to me? You told me that Sebastian chose to leave the school." Lizzie states angrily.

"I said he made his choice. He refused to respect our rules." My father defends.

"So, you sent him here?"

"He had help. There was a witch who did the spell. Dark hair, kind eyes, amazing accent." Sebastian describes.

"Emma." I say.

"How could you dad?" Lizzie questions.

"You can yell at me after we arm ourselves." My dad says as he leaves the mini bar.

"Dad, why do we need weapons so bad?" I ask, he stops and turns to us.

"All you need to know is that we're in danger, and we need to find a way out now." Sebastian vamp speeds in front of my dad.

"We're in a new world now. Perhaps you are no longer in charge." My father uses the piece of the wood to stab Sebastian. Lizzie lets out a gasp, Sebastian grunts in pain before he falls to the ground.

"To be clear, my daughters and I are leaving, you are staying behind and yes, I'm in charge." My dad states firmly and then walks off.

"Oh my god." My sister goes over to Sebastian, and I follow my father to another room where he's gathering weapons into a bag.

"Dad, this is about uncle Kai, isn't it? That's why you're so worried? I know this has to be hard for you, but you said he was desiccated." I say.

"You don't know what he's capable of, and until I'm positive no one's set him free, I'm not taking any chances." Dad gets a cross bow from under the table and places it on top.

"Dad, who could have set him free?" I ask confused. If he's trapped in this place alone, we shouldn't have to worry about him walking about.

"I'll explain later." Dad drops some books from a shelf and grabs a knife that was hidden, he hands it to me. "Right now, I need you to go to the meadow and get the sand clock before anyone else finds it. Then I need you to come back here and hide." My dad starts to walk away. "And stay hidden." I turn around to face him.

"Dad." My dad stops and turns to look at me. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not the only reason why we're here?"

"What do you mean sweetie?

"Part of the reason we're here is because I did black magic, but something tells me we're also here because of something you did too." I say to him.

"We all make mistakes." My dad simply says before he turns and walks off again.

I left shortly after my dad did, the entire walk to the meadow I kept going over everything that happened. My father was keeping another secret from Lizzie and I, that much was clear, but what could it possibly be? I mean we already know about our uncle Kai, how we built this prison world with aunt Bonnie and trapped him inside. He's been alone in here for years, until now that dad sent Sebastian here too. Which poses another question, why did dad send him here and tell Lizzie that he left of his own free will, what happened between them?

Shortly after arriving at the meadow where we did the spell I found the sand clock. I put it in a bag I brought back with me and head back to the Salvatore school, or rather the Salvatore house, seeing as this is the prison world Lizzie and I made as kids. I walk inside the house and call out for Lizzie and Sebastian, but I hear no reply from them. "Quick question." I turn around with the knife my dad gave me slightly raised, until I see who it is who spoke. "Who the hell are you?" The girl questioning me is Jade, but it can't be, she left the Salvatore 10 years ago. "Jade?" I ask.

**FLASHBACK**

**10 YEARS AGO**

_"Knock it off Wendy." Jade says from where she's sitting. Josie watches from behind a door not too far from Jade and her friends. "You're gonna burn the place down." Jade continues to say. "Ok, warden. You're just upset you can't go to your muggle party." Wendy replies. "Yeah, well, I told Inez I was gonna be there, and now she's gonna think that I flaked on her." Diego grunts and punches a barrier. "Yep, the barrier spell is still up, thanks for checking though." Wendy says sarcastically. "I hate being locked up." Diego says as he turns to face Wendy._

_"Yeah, well, in case you didn't notice, I got issues too. And being stuck in detention with an edgy werewolf is triggering 'em."_

_"You know, we wouldn't even be here if you could just control yourself." Wendy says to Diego as she stands next to Wendy._

_"It's not me, it's the turn. When the full moon's coming, something just happens to me." Diego explains._

_"You mean, like, you become a wolf." Wendy jokes._

_"Oh, screw you. You got no idea what it feels like, to feel every bone in your body break. It's worse than any pain you've ever felt." Diego says to Wendy._

_"Ok, you've convinced me. Life is awful and unfair. So, relax. Detention's gonna last as long as it lasts."_

_"Unless..." Jade begins to say when she notices Josie hiding. "Hey, Joze." Jade walks in front of Wendy and gestures Josie to come out of her hiding spot. Josie approaches the barrier._

_"Hi." Josie says. Jade bends down to eye level with Josie._

_"What you doing? You spying on me?" Josie simply smiles. "This is Diego and Wendy." Jade gestures towards each of them as she introduces them to Josie._

_"She's the witch who does fire." Josie says with big smile on her face. Jade laughs softly, and Wendy shows Josie her fire spell._

_"Yeah, we're spelled in here, and now we're gonna miss this really awesome party that we wanted to go to." Jade explains to Josie._

_"Aren't you one of those special siphon witches? I bet you could take this barrier spell down with no problem." Wendy comments._

_"No, no way. That's too hard. Only advanced witches can do that." Jade says. Wendy hums at that. "Unless, I mean, you think you could handle a big girl spell like that."_

_"I'm not supposed to." Josie says._

_"No, it's all right. We'll go to the party and then be back before anyone even realizes we're gone." Wendy and Diego look at each other with smiles on their faces. "What do you say Joze? You one of us?"_

**END FLASHBACK**

"Little Josie Saltzman all grown-up. I'll be damned." Jade says with a soft chuckle. "Is Lizzie here too?"

"Uh, no." I reply. "Jade, what are you doing here?" I ask her.

"If it's ok with you, can we have this conversation after I eat?" Jade approaches until she's standing in front of me. "Because I'm starving, and you look delicious." Jade's eyes turn red, and black veins appear around her eyes, suddenly she's stabbed in the heart by a wooden stake. At first I think it might be my dad, that is until she falls on the ground and I see a man who is not my father in front of me.

"Come with me if you want to live." He says to me.

I follow the mystery man to the old mill, only it looks different, it looks like one of those places you go to paintball. "Welcome, I call it Fort Parker. It's a bit moldy, but also rent-controlled, so I try not to complain." The man says as he approaches what appears to be a makeshift bar and grabs 3 small bottles of liquor, then turns to me. "Flavored vodka, it's uh, it's no Zima, but then again, nothing is." He tosses me one of the bottles then turns away from me, it's in that moment I realize who this is. "You're Kai Parker." I say, he let's out a gasp as he tosses the liquor bottles to a nearby chair. "I am, and you are one of the Saltzman twins. I can smell the Gemini on you. The real question is, are you Linda or, or Joanie?" Kai questions as he laughs and places he's backpack down. "I can never tell you two apart." Dad was right, he is a psycho, also he talks a lot. "Are you messing with me right now?" I question him. He stares at me for a minute then laughs. "I am actually." Kai continues to laugh, I wait for him to finish, when he's finally done he clears his throat and starts to talk again. "You're Josie, named after your mother Josette." Kai says as he takes out he's machete.

"Yeah, the one you killed." I say to him angrily.

"Ok, here we go. Look, technically I was trying to kill you and your sister. Uh, but that's all over now, so I say we just move on." He tosses the machete to the ground and turns and bends down to grab a glass from a cabinet.

"That doesn't making me feel any better, besides you're a monster." Kai chuckles at that, then stands up and turns to me.

"A monster would have let you die." He goes over to the chair he tossed the bottles at and unscrews one of the bottles to pour into the glass. "That vampire who tried to turn you into her own personal Capri Sun? She's the real monster. She and her cronies run this world. They revived me from desiccation just so they could have a little play thing. Everyday, like clockwork, they hunt me down and kill me, but since I'm magically bound to this world." He unscrews the second bottle. "I can't actually die, so I pop back up only to be hunted and killed all over again, everyday. Welcome to the supernatural Hunger Games." Kai downs the second bottle of vodka.

"You seriously expect me to believe that." Kai tosses the downed mini bottle and looks at me confused. "I mean maybe when you first came out of desiccation they had the upper hand, but do you honestly expect me to believe you, who is a heretic by the way, can't handle 3 students?" Kai just gives me an unamused look and tosses the glass in his hand.

"Fine, you caught me in a lie, smartass." Kai sits down.

"That girl used to go to my school. Why is she here?" I ask and Kai imitates a buzzer sound.

"No answers for free. Information for information. What are you doing here?" He asks.

"I, um I used a Mora Miserium." I answer.

"Sand clock? Oh, don't tell me. It degraded, and you just decided to drop it over here without a thought for my safety." Kai mocks offense.

"I tried to create a new world, but a witch tricked us, and we got pulled into this one instead."

"Classic double cross. And, uh who's 'we'?" I realize my mistake, but quickly recover.

"I answered your question, now you have to answer mine. Why is Jade here?" Kai leans forward.

"Yeah, I'm not the one you should be asking." I let out a sigh.

"Dad."

"Bingo."

"He went to check in on you, so wherever you were desiccated, that's where he'll be." I adjust the strap of my bag. "Would you please take me there?" Kai puts he's fingers under his chin, pretending to think about my request.

"Why not, I suppose I do owe your dad a thank you. He is after all the reason I'm free."

As Kai is leading me towards my dad, and talking non stop. I think about all the merge questions I could ask him while I'm stuck here with him. But of all the questions I have on my mind, there's one that stands out above all the rest. I walk a little faster to walk beside him. "So." I interrupt whatever story he was going on about. "Last year we discovered there was this golem, Malivore, that was created by one vampire, one werewolf, and one witch. It walked the Earth for probably thousands of years absorbing and erasing the existence of a lot of mythical creatures, including Santa Clause, who I actually met a couple months ago." Kai looks a me intrigued. "Why are you telling me this?" I raise an eyebrow at his question. "You want to know something." Kai realizes. "Yes, I want the truth, no lies." Kai hums at my statement. "It must be something personal." Kai observes, but I don't say anything. "Fine, but first you have to tell me how jolly old Saint Nick gets to all those houses in one night." I have a man child as an uncle. "Besides the sleigh and reindeer he also has superspeed. I saw him use it when he fought against Krampus, who is also very real and very ugly. I think Santa might actually be faster than a vampire." I answer. "Mm interesting." Kai pauses for a moment then turns to me. "Ok, what's your question." I take a deep breath in, then let it out. "Earlier you said you said you were trying to kill my sister and I, so why did you kill my mom? If we were what you were after, I'm sure there's a spell, or potion you could have used to terminate the pregnancy, but instead you killed my mom, on her wedding day by the way, I get the feeling there's more to it than your letting on." Kai seemed surprised by my question. "Not the question I was expecting." Kai lets out a breath. "Ok, so story time. So, if you only found about me recently, that means you probably don't know much about our coven?" I nod my head yes. "Well, they were a bunch of assholes, see they didn't like siphon witches. Normally, they would kick siphon witches out of the coven, but since I was a twin they were stuck with me, so they treated me like crap. Called me an abomination, avoided physical contact with me, except for your mom. When we were kids she was the only one who wasn't afraid to touch me, she was the only one who let me siphon from her, the only one who would stand up for me. Until of course we learned about the Merge. You know about that yet?" I nod my head yes. "Good, one less thing I have to explain. Any who, after we found out about the merge things between my sister and I shifted, she could barely look at me, and when people would call me an abomination she stopped defending me, so we grew apart. I was all alone, and I coped with that by becoming a sociopath, killed a bunch of people, eventually I killed you mother and our entire family. Which by the way, you should be thanking me for, because they sucked, and they would have treated your sister and you as badly as they treated me. Ah we're here." Kai stops in front of a bar. I look at him, a part of me feels bad for him, but another part of me is angry at him for being so casual about killing my mother. "What?" He notices me staring at him, I shake my head at him and look at the bar. "Nothing." I take a step towards the bar, but Kai grabs my wrist to stop me, I get myself out of his grip. "Don't touch me." I say to him. "You're dad's not alone." Kai looks like he's listening in on something. "Diego seems to be with him, and he's not very happy." Kai vamp speeds inside the bar.

I run in behind him. When I get inside my dad has already shot Kai with his crossbow. I run up to my dad and hug him. "Dad!" He hugs me back. "Josie. Oh, god." He lets go of me. "What are you doing with him? He could have killed you." My dad says. "He saved my life." I explain. "I don't care, he's a liar. You can't trust him, you hear me?" He asks just a tad bit angry. "Was he lying when he told me you sent a bunch of your old students here to punish them?" I ask. "I told you, we all make mistakes. I'm not about to make the same one twice." My dad grabs Kai's machete. "Dad, you can't kill him in this world." I say to him, although I don't think I should have to. "Well, I'm sure as hell gonna try." He raises the machete and I cast a sleep spell on my dad. He drops the machete and falls to the floor. "Sorry dad."

I levitate my dad to a nearby chair and chain him to it. I'm guessing this is the spot Kai was desiccated in. I hear a gasp, Kai didn't stay dead for long. "Oh, I should have seen that coming." Kai says as he groan and stands up. "Ok, first death's free Ric, but I'm warning you, if you think that I'm..." Kai stops midsentence as he turns and sees me place a lock on the chains. "Well, I definitely didn't see this coming." I take a step away from my dad. "I didn't want him trying to stop me." I explain. "Stop you from doing what?" Kai asks. "Getting us all out of here, even if that means partnering up with you." I reply, and Kai gives me a wicked smile. We walk out of the bar and I follow Kai to wherever it is he's leading me to.

"So, we need three things; the apex of the celestial event that trapped me here, some Bennett blood, and the duplicate ascendant, which is the first thing I went looking for when those burnouts woke me up." Kai explains.

"Did you find it?" I ask.

"No answers for free. I assume you come carrying the Bennett blood." I stop following Kai, when he notices my silence he turns to look at me. When he realizes I don't have the blood he begins to stammer, he bends down then straightens back up. "How is it possible you came to a prison world without the one thing you need to escape it?"

"Well, it's not exactly like this trip was planned."

"Ok, so then what exactly are you bringing to this partnership? Because from where I stand, I'm the only one of us who is not useless."

"No answers for free. What's the celestial event." Kai turns and starts to walk off again, I follow.

"That I actually don't know, but, uh there's only so many minutes in a day, so I'll figure it out."

"That's your plan? Process of elimination?"

"Mm-hmm, I like a challenge." Kai stops and turns to me. "And to be honest, I've got nothing but time." Kai turns and starts to walk off again.

"Could the sand clock be strong enough to power the ascendant without a celestial event?" Kai stops and turns around.

"Maybe. Why? Where is it?" 

"Somewhere in this clearing."

"Then why don't I see it?"

"Because I put a spell on it. You wouldn't even know that you were looking at it."

"You know, that actually happened to me with a teddy bear once." A teddy bear? I really wish dad told us more about Kai. "Hmm, you, uh you really don't trust me, do you?"

"You haven't really given me reason to." Kai puts his hand in his jacket pocket and pulls out the ascendant, he places it down in front of me.

"Consider it a show of good faith." I take my bag off and place it on the ground, I unzip it and pull out the sand clock. Kai let's out a mock gasp. "You were lying, you're definitely learning."

"Now, how do we get Bennett blood?" I ask as I put the sand clock back in the bag and stand. Kai grabs the ascendant and puts it back in his jacket pocket.

"I might have an idea. Follow me." Kai walks off again and I follow him, we walk until we come across the hospital, as soon as we enter I begin to question Kai.

"Are you sure this is gonna work? Why are we here?" 

"Oh, information for information." That was really starting to get annoying. "Tell me more about this Malivore pit and those monsters you've been dealing with, and for the record." Kai stops and turns to me. "I never lost faith in Santa being real." Kai turns and starts walking again. 

"Basically, Malivore is a pocket dimension like this one. There is a portal into our world, we closed it, but the monsters keep coming." I explain.

"Fascinating, now to answer your question." Kai stops in front of a door and turns around. "We're here because I spent years studying genealogical records while being hunted and killed for sport."

"Pretty sure we already established you're not a victim, in fact if I didn't know any better I'd say you enjoy playing supernatural hunger games." I interrupt Kai, he looks at me annoyed.

"You done?" I nod my head yes. "So, as I was saying, I recently found someone who donated blood under the name Smithfield, which was her married name, maiden name Bennett." Kai let's out a gasp. "Bennett blood, ta-da." Kai opens the door only to reveal that Jade is inside the room and she's drank all the blood bags, she drops the one she's currently drinking and stands up, eye's red with veins around her eyes.

"Thank god you're here. I'm still hungry." Jade snarls at us and attempts to vamp speed towards us, but Kai spells the door shut and turns to face me.

"I thought you killed her." I say.

"Yeah, I totally did. But, they're banished to this world, like me, so they just keep coming back." Kai lets out a chuckle while Jade pounds on the door. "We should go." Kai and I make a run for it. When we get far enough away from Jade we slow down, I walk ahead of Kai, if Jade came back to life that means Diego will too, which means my dad is in danger and I need to get to him.

"We need to find my dad before that werewolf wakes up." I say to Kai.

"Well, then go, save daddy." I stop and turn around. "I'm rooting for you. Although, you and your dad aren't bound to this place, so at some point be it today, tomorrow, or the next they'll kill you both. Sorry kiddo, the Bennett blood's gone, we're trapped here, nothing matters." Kai says as he turns to walk away. 

"What if there was another way to get Bennett blood?" Kai stops in his tracks. "Would you help me then?" I ask.

"Yeah, nice try at manipulation." Kai turns back towards me. "But, I'm not gonna believe a anything y..." I pull out a vile of Bonnie Bennett's blood and show it to him.

"It's Bonnie's from when we sent the sand clock here." Kai lets out a chuckle.

"I knew you were holding out on me." Kai walks towards me.

"I didn't know if I could trust you." Just then Jade vamp speeds towards Kai and pins him against the wall.

"Oh, perfect timing baby." Kai says as he wraps his arms around Jade and pulls her closer.

"I heard blood and came running." Jade says as she lets out a laugh.

"Ok, first of gross." 

"What, prison world gets a bit lonely." Kai says nonchalantly.

"She's like half your age you perv, second..." They both wait for me to continue, but I turn to attempt to run away from them; however, it is futile.

" _Immobilus._ " I'm frozen, and I hear Kai and Jade approaching me.

"Hey, thanks for your help. Your instincts were right, there is no trusting me. So, while you've been playing checkers." Kai makes his way in front of me. "I've been playing chess." He takes the vile of blood in my hand. "Checkmate." Kai goes over to my backpack and starts looking through it, I can feel him take out items and hand them to Jade as he talks. "So, you were definitely right about one thing, I'm totally into the whole hunger games, keeps the monotony interesting. Once they woke me up, they quickly realized my superior leadership qualities. They're kind of like my followers, I guess you could say. You can keep your lousy sand clock." I feel him put it back, then he walks in front of me. "I'll be gone before it breaks. Oh, chin up. You're new at conning people, you'll get better at it." He looks up at Jade. "Take her to Ric, don't kill her just yet. Make them both suffer." Kai looks back at me and places both his hands on my cheeks. "I couldn't have done it without you kid." He kisses my forehead and turns around and leaves.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Jade says. Jade ties my hands and covers my mouth with a bandana, she takes me to where my father is still chained up, I hear him talking about being able to handle torture when we arrive. "How about seeing your daughter be tortured?" Jade asks as she sits me down in front of my dad.

"Josie. Josie, are you ok?" I nod my head yes.

"For now, but what happens next is up to you. So talk, 'cause I've waited 10 years for an explanation for what you did to us." Jade states.

"What other choice did you leave me? Five people were dead, brutally murdered, fed on, ripped apart, dismembered, and burned to cover it up. And not one of you showed any remorse or even admitted what you had done. I couldn't let you stay at the school, I wasn't gonna unleash you into the world." Dad explains.

"So, you sent us here forever? Is that how you help your students?" Diego asks.

"No, I made a mistake. I should have killed you." Diego let out a growl, Jade was laughing, and I was internally groaning. My dad was going to get us killed.

"Ooh, doubling down in the face of imminent death, ballsy." Jade comments.

"I knew you were killers, that you wouldn't change. It was Caroline that talked me into showing you mercy." Dad says.

"Enough talk, let's kill him." Diego is about to go up to my dad when Jade stops him.

"No, I want him to suffer first. You two go check on Kai, he has all the pieces to get us out now. Make sure he doesn't leave us behind." Diego and Wendy do as Jade says, she let's out a sigh. "You're so sure you're right." Jade says, my father remains silent. Jade approaches him. "How about I tell you what actually happened that night? Inez invited me to a party in the woods. We'd been flirting for a few months, I thought it was my chance to finally see if she was really into girls or not. Wendy really wanted to come, and she was trying to get Diego to notice her, so she talked me into bringing him too. Turns out it was a freak party, see who could get the biggest weirdo to show up. Yeah, they took one look at us, and they just knew we were different. We turned to leave, but one of the football players thought it would be a good idea to throw a football at a werewolf the night before a full moon, he got angry, couldn't control himself, that's when things went downhill. He ripped the football player apart, it should have ended there, I could have stopped it, but I froze. Maybe I didn't want to prove them right about us being different, or maybe a part of me wanted it to happen. Everything after that is a blur, I did find out something that night, I'm a ripper. That was the worst moment of my life. You think I didn't feel remorse for what happened to those kids, for what I did to Inez, but I did. I felt shame, guilt, and panic. I couldn't bear feeling all of it anymore, so I decided not to. I shut off my humanity that night. I was screaming for help, you just couldn't hear it. But being here where you sent us, I've killed Kai, Diego, and Wendy thousands of times, so maybe you're right after all. Because I've finally become the killer you thought I was." Jade explains.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize the signs." Dad apologizes.

"You were too busy protecting your daughters." Jade runs her hand through my hair and chuckles. "You're good at that. Let's see how good." Jade breaks my father's chains. "Come with me, there's a game I wanna play." Jade turns and leaves, my father follows.

I wait a minute after Jade and my dad leave to get up and look around for something to get out of this rope. I notice a sharp edge by the bar, I go to it turn around and rub the rope against it until it finally breaks. I remove the bandana from my mouth, just as remove it, the phone rings. I'm a little surprised the phone actually works, I go over to the red phone and answer it. "Who is this?" I ask. "Thank god you're still alive. I was worried sick." Kai laughs, he's so annoying. "Hey, I got to say, I'm not even mad about the whole blood con. Borderline proud even."

"You're not the only one who knows how to play chess Kai." Kai just laughs at that.

"How's your dad by the way?" Kai asks changing the subject.

"I hate you for everything you've done to my family, and I am never helping you get out of here. You're a liar, and nothing you say will matter to me." I state firmly.

"Actually, I called to help you get out. There's another way, does what I say matter now?" Kai asks.

"I don't believe you."

"Yeah, ok, that's totally understandable, but you still got Darth Vader's alarm clock, right?" I look over to the sand clock by the bar.

"Maybe." I answer.

"Good, 'cause you're gonna need every last bit of its power to pull this off." Kai starts to laugh again. "I should probably get going, you're not gonna believe this, but I found my own way out of here."

"What? How?" I ask confused.

"Oh, no answers for fwee, little Josette. You know, you remind me of her. Your bio-mom thought she was smarter than me too, but I punished her just like I'm about to punish you. Because, you ready for it? In order to use that sand clock, you have to break it, and when you get hit with all that black magic, if it doesn't kill you, it's gonna turn you into something dark and evil. But, you'll also be powerful enough to make your own door out of here, so, what a predicament right? To save daddy, to get yourself home, you have to become a monster, like me. The only catch is, you won't remember I told you any of this, because you won't remember me at all." I realize where he is.

"Oh, my god. I know where you are."

"Hey, thanks for all the stories about Malivore. A portal to another dimension sounds pretty good to me right about now."

"No, no, no. Malivore is a hell dimension, it's eternal darkness. You'll be trapped and surrounded by monsters worse than you."

"Sounds like heaven to me. So, I'd smash that sand clock in the next few seconds if I were you, 'cause I'm about to take a swan dive into oblivion, and I'd hate for you to forget the only thing that can save you. Good luck kiddo." He whispers the last part, and the call is disconnected. I drop the phone and quickly make my way over to the sand clock, while I don't want to be like Kai I don't want to die either, Hope would kill me. I take the sand clock out of the bag, raise it above my head and drop it down. The glass shatters and I'm suddenly hit with a wave of black magic.

**HOPE POV**

I'm looking over the broken ascendant that's laid out on the table. While I had a lot of respect for Ric, at this moment, I hated him. If he told the twins more about their coven, maybe I'd actually be able to fix this and get the Saltzman's out, to get Josie out. I hear footsteps approaching, I turn around and see Landon. "You resurrected." I comment. "Yeah, thanks for putting me in the bathtub, I don't think Raf would have appreciated scorch marks on the floor." I nod my head and look back at the ascendant. "Still haven't figured out how fix it?" I shake my head no. "Well, while I may not be a bad ass fighter like you, but I am pretty good at research. I'll find books on the Gemini Coven and see what I can find out about that ascendant thingy." Landon says trying to be helpful, I let out a heavy sigh.

"You won't find anything." I say.

"You don't know that."

"I do actually." I turn to look at Landon.

"When Josie first found out about the Merge, one of the first things she did was go to the library and try to find books on it, on her coven. But every time she found something, the page was torn out. Alaric didn't want the twins to know about the Merge, so he ripped out everything that had to do with it, and her coven." Suddenly all the anger I had been keeping down rises to the surface and I hit the table over and over again until Landon stops me.

"Hey, we'll figure something out ok." Landon says trying to comfort me.

"I'm sorry, it's just...she's trapped in a prison world with the sand clock that's breaking down. If it breaks, all that black magic will go back inside her, and if that happens she'll either turn into something she's not, or...she'll die. Lizzie can't lose her, I can't lose her. I'm not sure I'd survive that, I barely survived losing my parents, if you can even call it that." Landon places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it.

"You won't." Landon let's out a sigh. "Look, why don't we look around Dr. Saltzman's office. He may have been trying to keep the whole Merge thing a secret from them, but that doesn't mean he would get rid of any information that could help figure out how to stop it. I'm sure if we poke around in his office we'll find something."

"That's actually a really good idea. Thanks."

"Yeah, you probably don't want to hear this from me, but I miss her too. I want her back just as much as you do."

"I'll let it slide since you came up with this idea, and saved me from Cupid." Landon chuckles at that and we head to Ric's office.

**JOSIE POV**

When the last of the black magic enters my body I slowly stand up. I go over to the shattered sand clock, when I see my reflection on the shattered glass I notice my appearance has changed. My eyes are completely black, my hair is wavy and jet black. "Interesting." I say to myself. Not only do I look different, but I feel different too. More powerful than I've ever felt before. I don't know why I suddenly shattered the sand clock, but I'm glad I did. I leave the karaoke bar and had for the Salvatore house, something tells me that's where I'll find my dad, along with Jade and her friends. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was worth the wait.


	10. YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so heads up, this is the last chapter. As I said in the Christmas chapter I had wanted to end this fic there, but Kai Parker. Hopefully I didn't keep you waiting too long.

** YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL **

** JOSIE POV **

I made my way over to the Salvatore house from the karaoke bar. When I arrived inside I heard the familiar whooshing sound of vamp speed, and someone being thrown towards the piano. When I walked into the living room my father and Jade were at a stand still, my father attempted to strike Jade with a sword, but she caught it. Neither one of them seemed to notice me, so I quietly approached behind Jade and entered her mind. I went back to the night she turned off her humanity, and turned it back on. Jade's grip on the sword loosens, she starts panting. "I'm so sorry." Jade apologies and I knock her out. My father looks down at Jade for a moment, then back up at me. When he sees my new appearance, he's both shocked and...scared, that's new. "Josie, what did you do?" My father asks quietly. "I fixed her." I simply reply. "Josie, your eyes are completely black, what happened?" My father continues to question. "I broke the sand clock." I turn to walk away. "Josie!" My father grabs my wrist and turns me to face him. "We need to talk about this, I need you to tell me exactly what happened." My father states firmly. "If I do that we may not make it to Lizzie in time." He's about to question me again when I raise my hand up to silence him. "I feel she's hurt through our bond, if we leave now we may make it to her in time, if we stand here and continue to talk then she may die. So, do you want to continue to talk, or do you want to find Lizzie?" I ask. "You know where she's is?" He asks. "No, but I'll be able to find her through our bond, follow me." I say as I turn and exit the Salvatore house followed by my father.

**HOPE POV**

I was having the strangest dream. These little girls were chanting a prophecy, something about a golden arrow finding a hero that takes flight, and then killing him I guess. Then a golden arrow appears in my hand, and when I look up Landon is sprawled on the stairs bleeding. Is this golden arrow the loophole to killing a phoenix? "Hope." I turn around and see Josie, only she looks different. Her hair is jet black, and her eyes...they're completely black. "We're not alone." I wake up with a jerk, I get ready quickly and burst into Landon's room. He get's startled, he drops the book he was reading and falls to the floor from his bed. "What the hell?" Landon stands up and sees me. "Hope? Don't you know how to knock?!" Landon exclaims.

"No time for that, Josie appeared to me in a dream." I say.

"Do I wanna know what Josie was doing in your dreams?"

"Remember when I told you about my bad feeling?" Landon nods his head yes. "Well, in my dream, Josie was...dark." Landon looks at me confused.

"Dark? What do you mean dark?"

"It looked as though she may have absorbed all the black magic from the sand clock, if she did and she survived, there's no telling what she's capable of, or what she'll do, what she'll be like." Landon rubs his temples.

"Ok, well, we don't know for sure if she's absorbed the black magic, for all we know it could just be a premonition, I mean witches get those sometimes right? She could still be ok, we just need to hurry up and get her and her family out of there."

"I still don't know how, if I could just talk to them, Dr. Saltzman would know what to do."

"That's not an option. You told me astral projection into a prison world is dangerous. Josie would not want you to risk it, and we can't be down another super squad member." I let out a sigh.

"Fine, but we need to hit the books again."

"Ok, just let me get ready and I'll meet you in Dr. Saltzman's office." I'm about to turn and walk out of his room when I remember something.

"Oh, Josie wasn't the only one in my dream, you were there too."

"Really?" Landon asks confused.

"Do you remember that prophecy, the one about a new hero rising..."

"And basically getting shot down by a golden arrow, yeah what about it?" Landon asks.

"In my dream you were hurt and I think it might have been because of the golden arrow. Dorian said that there is a golden arrow in the inventory of our stolen arsenal. It could be the one thing that could kill a phoenix."

"But I haven't even floated yet much less flown. I've been trying to activate any other phoenix powers I may have, but I've yet to figure out if I can do anything else other than rise from the dead."

"Well until the golden arrow is found try not to fly, or float."

"Will do." Landon lets out a heavy sigh. "I can't believe a golden arrow might be the one thing that could kill me. I kinda liked believing I couldn't die."

"Well, to quote Josie, 'Nothing lives forever, nature always creates a loophole to ensure that.'"

"When did Josie say that?" Landon asks.

"When I suggested we let you get possessed by the Oni and then stab you with the black magic sword." I answer, he's about to say something but doesn't, then I walk out of Landon's room and head to Alaric's office.

**JOSIE POV**

My father and I are walking on an empty road in Lizzie's direction, my father has attempted to question me further, but I've been focusing on my bond with Lizzie to try and find her. "What exactly did you do to Jade?" I remain quiet. "Josie talk to me." My father attempts again. "Lizzie's this way, I can feel her." I continue walking in Lizzie's direction. "Why did you break the sand clock?" I'm about to answer him, but I realize I don't know why I did. I turn to look at him when I answer. "I can't remember." I turn back and continue walking. "Well, are you ok? I mean are you in pain?" Such a stupid question. "No, for the first time in my life, everything feels clear. There." I point up ahead, where there is a crashed police car on the side of the road. "Lizzie." My father starts to run towards Lizzie. "Lizzie!" My father arrives at the police car, he opens the door and assesses Lizzie's injuries, once he safely gets her out of the car she informs him that she drank vampire blood, and to not let her die. He picks her up to carry her and informs her he's going to take her to the hospital. He rushes Lizzie to the hospital with me following behind him, once we make it there, he goes inside one of the operating rooms and places Lizzie on the operating table. "You're gonna be ok Lizzie. It's all right, it's all right." My father says trying to comfort Lizzie, I look down at Lizzie, the black magic inside of her via our connection is killing her. "The black magic is making her worse, she won't make it with it inside her." I tell him. "Well, Josie, can you do something, please?" My father practically begs. "I'll be unconscious for a little while, don't be scared." I grabbed my sister's arm and siphoned the black magic within her, as soon as I siphon it all out, we both passed out.

**HOPE POV**

I've been sitting in Alaric's office for over an hour trying to fix the ascendant Josie and Lizzie made, with no luck. Landon had been helping out, but stepped out for a short break. As I'm attempting to yet again put the ascendant back together I hear footsteps approaching, I look up and see Landon carrying a tray with tea. "Hey, what's all this?" I ask as he sets the tray down. "A flightless phoenix being useful." Landon picks up the tea pot and starts pouring some tea. "Any progress?" he asks. "No, Alyssa spelled it so every time I repair it, it just breaks again." I answer. "And you can't unspell it?" He asks. "No, no, there's gotta be something I'm overlooking." I comment.

"There is." I look up and see a bearded man in a suit walk in with Dorian. "Sorry, you have the wrong ascendant."

"Oh? Says who?" I ask.

"Fam, meet Joshua." Dorian introduces.

"Hello." Joshua greets.

"Old friend of Ric's, and drumroll please. He's also an expert on prison worlds. I told him about our problem." Dorian explains.

"Do you mind?" Joshua asks as he gestures towards the ascendants pieces, I nod my head yes, I'll take any help I can get at this point.

"Thank you so much." Joshua puts on a pair of glasses, and picks up an ascendant piece. "Wow, wow, wow, wow. It is in pieces." He brings the ascendant piece to his ear. "Oh, my, yeah." He gasps softly. "There's a linking spell on this. It produces a faint hum, like a melody." Joshua brings the piece to Landon's ear. "If you, if you know what to listen for." Joshua looks at Landon expectantly, Landon shakes his head no, he doesn't hear the melody. "You clearly don't." Joshua pulls the piece back from Landon's ear. "When the Saltzmans performed their spell on-on this ascendant, they were being tied to another. Hold this." Joshua hands back the piece to Landon, who hands it to me. "That witch of yours didn't send them to, you know, a new, empty prison world." Joshua picks up the teapot and pours himself some tea. "She sent them somewhere, somewhere far older and much more dangerous, and you're going to need my help to get them out." I don't say anything at first, the information Joshua just gave me sinking in, the message Josie said to me in my dream finally making sense.

"Would you excuse me for a second." I place the ascendant piece down and leave Alaric's office. I run to my room and start to breath heavily. The Saltzman's have been in danger this whole time, Josie has been in danger this whole time, and I've basically sat around and done nothing. After a minute I remember everything Josie told me when Lizzie would have an episode, I start breathing in and out until I feel myself calm down, once I do I start to gather things I'll need to astral project myself into the prison world. I hear footsteps approach my room, I turn to see it's Landon, I continue gathering supplies. "It's worse than we thought." I say to Landon.

"Yeah, Alyssa must have kept the original ascendant hidden, you know she's not just gonna hand it over." Landon notices me gathering supplies and putting them on the floor. "Uh, Hope, what are you doing?" He asks.

"I have to know if the Saltzman's are still alive, if Josie is still Josie, and the only way to do that is to astral project there." I answer.

"Hope, we talked about this. You might get lost and not find you way back, or you could get seriously hurt doing this. Either way if something bad happens to you and Josie finds out I did nothing to stop you, she'll be the one who shoots me down with a golden arrow." I turn around and face Landon.

"In my dream, Josie said to me, 'We're not alone.' Shortly after we got back together Josie told me about the ascendant she found in her dad's office during the Triad raid."

"Yeah, she mentioned it over the summer, thought it had something to do with the whole Merge thing, but I guess it didn't after all."

"Josie and Lizzie created the prison world Alyssa linked them to when they were kids. It holds their sociopathic uncle who killed their biological mother on her wedding day." Landon looks at me shocked.

"Jesus, so not only does her coven have some brutal rituals, but she comes from a history of psychos? Maybe it's a good thing she chose you over me." I shake my head at that.

"The point is I have to try. If they've been in danger this whole time and something happens because I couldn't find a way to save them..." There's a knock on my door, Dorian enters my room.

"Hey, sorry to intrude. Got some good news, so Joshua's doing some research for us. He said there's a rare flower that grows near the falls. The extract makes people tell you their deepest secrets. If we give that to Alyssa, we can get her to tell us where the ascendant is. Landon, you come with me."

"Yeah." Landon walks in front of me.

"Ok, contact them make sure their ok, I'll go with Dorian so we can get Alyssa to tell us where she hid the ascendant. We're getting them back tonight." Landon states.

"You bet we are."

**JOSIE POV**

I'm not sure how long I was passed out for, but when I wake I quickly stand, I see Jade in front of me, she must have helped my father with Lizzie. "Hello again." I greet Jade. "What happened to you?" She asks me. "She did something dangerous with black magic, and now she can't recall why." My father answers with a slightly judgmental tone, I turn to him. "I'd tone down on the judgement if I were you. Like everything you have done, I must have had a reason." I turn back to Jade. "But it's blank, there's something missing from my memory, or someone." I say to Jade, as I walk closer to her, wondering if something is missing from her memory too. "Uh, same. I don't know what this is." Jade pulls out a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and hands it to me. "But I found it in my pocket." I open the folded piece of paper, it says, ' _Thanks for all the sex -Kai_.' I show the paper to my father and he reads over it. "Who's Kai?" He asks. "The person who's missing from our memory. There's a spell affecting my mind." I close my eyes to concentrate. "I've felt it before." I open my eyes after a moment when I realize why this mind wiping spell is so familiar to me. "Malivore." My father looks over at Jade. "You might want to grab a seat Jade." He goes over to the corner of the room and sits down. "Why?" Jade asks. "Trust me." My father says, when I turn around Jade is inside the operating room leaning against the wall. " _Harae-tamai kioku yomigaerashi-tamai._ " Once I cast the spell we all pass out.

" _I_ _n order to use that sand clock, you have to break it, and when you get hit with all that black magic, if it doesn't kill you, it's gonna turn you into something dark and evil. But, you'll also be powerful enough to make your own door out of here, so, what a predicament right? To save daddy, to get yourself home, you have to become a monster, like me. The only catch is, you won't remember I told you any of this, because you won't remember me at all_." I wake up and immediately stand, more memories of Kai flowing through my mind. Once I remembered everything I looked around the room. Jade, Lizzie, and my father were still passed out, I was the first to awaken from the spell. I let out a sigh and levitate them, I walk back to the Salvatore house with them floating behind me. Once I arrive I place Jade in a room with Diego and Wendy, Lizzie in one of the upstairs bedrooms, and my father on the living room couch. I turn towards the book shelf across the room, and feel myself drawn to one book in particular. I reach my hand out and the book floats straight to my hand, I look through it, finding a spell that could possibly get us out of this prison world, at the same time my father wakes.

"Where's Lizzie?" He asks.

"Sleeping upstairs." I reply.

"Kai" He says angrily as he stands beside me.

"Try to control your emotions. I remember what Kai said, there's still a way for us to get out. This whole place is just another spell, it's made of magic, magic can be siphoned. I can make holes in this world, doors." I explain to him, as I do we hear footsteps approaching. Jade appears, with Diego and Wendy behind her.

"So, does this mean you can get us back into the real world?" Jade asks. There is tension between Diego and my father. "It's alright, I talked to them." Jade explains.

"We just want to go home." Wendy says.

"Well, we can't all go. The magic I siphon here can't travel to the real world. The energy needs to go somewhere, which means someone needs to stay behind to be the anchor, so feel free to discuss who should be left behind." I explain.

"No, we're not leaving anyone here. We're all getting back." I suddenly feel a presence in the room.

"Shh, someone's coming." I turn around and Hope appears.

"Josie?" Hope says.

"Hello." I greet, when no one else speaks up I turn and notice no one else can see Hope, no one but me. I turn back to face Hope. "Only I can see you." Hope takes a step towards me.

"Oh my god, the sand clock, it broke didn't it?" Hope is about to reach for my face, when she realizes she won't actually be able to touch me, she retracts her hand.

"Something like that." I respond.

"Honey, who are you talking to?" My father asks.

"Hope, she's astral projecting."

"Listen, you have to warn her about Kai."

"Why? What happened?" Hope asks.

"Kai went into the Malivore pit, and we think he's trying to get to the real world." I explain.

"Actually, I think he's already here, pretending to be someone else." I turn to my father.

"Kai's already at the school."

"Oh, Hope listen to me, Kai's incredibly dangerous. You have to get him away from the school now."

"Wait, Kai's acting like he's going to help me get you out, what if I actually get him to do that and then kill him afterwards?" Hope voices.

"No, he's cunning. He'll figure out you're trying to play him, trust me. Just do as my father says and get him away from the school, I can get us out of the prison world."

"Really?" She asks hopeful.

"Yes, I already found a spell to get us out."

"Ok then. I'll get Kai away from the school. I love you."

"Bye Hope, good luck." I wave my hand and make Hope's astral projection disappear. I turn to face my father.

"Still want to contemplate another way for us to get out of here?" I ask. He lets out a heavy sigh.

"Fine, we do the spell and I'll stay behind. You were all my students once, it has to be me."

"Glad we finally got that settled." I open the book again and read through the spell.

**HOPE POV**

When I make it back to the real world I'm slightly disoriented. When everything comes into focus I realize Josie is no longer my Josie. The Josie I just saw was basically an emotionless void, she had no love for me in her eyes, she couldn't even say it back when I told her I loved her. "How'd all that go?" I turn around and see Joshua, no Kai, in my room. "It didn't, I couldn't reach them." Kai starts walking around my room looking for something. "Did you need something?" Kai starts sniffing deeply around my room. "It's not you, it's not me." Kai goes towards Alyssa's bed. "Excuse me?" I ask as I stand. "No." Kai continues to sniff around Alyssa's bed, until he comes across her stuffed elephant and takes another deep sniff. "Yes, there it is." Kai picks up the stuffed elephant as he chuckles. "Oh, why is it always stuffed animals?" Kai rips off the head and takes out the ascendant. "It's the weirdest thing." I look at him confused. "How did you know?" I ask. "Oh, Alyssa Chang just needed a, uh, a compassionate ear to bend." Kai takes out his glasses, which I'm sure he doesn't actually need, and puts them on to inspect the ascendant. "Hey, I'm sorry to, uh, stick my nose in, but she really doesn't like you people. Anyhoo, now all you need is something that has the equivalent power of a celestial event. Do you have any ideas?" He asks. "I do, but we have to go off campus to get it." He looks at me suspiciously for a moment, and I start to worry. "Who doesn't love a field trip?" Kai asks.

I lead Kai off campus to a storage facility we hardly use. "Huh, that smells old. Wow, wow, wow. This doesn't seem like much of a spot for a powerful magical artifact." Kai comments. "Neither does a stuffed elephant." Kai chuckles at that. "That's very good." Kai compliments. "Dr. Saltzman hid what we need in one of these crates, so look for the Salvatore logo." I lie, Kai heads towards one of the crates and opens it, I head for one opposite of him and remove a broken piece from the top. "It's a good thing there's not like 400 crates in here. Eeny, meeny, miny, crate. When you say Salvatore logo, you mean like, that thing with the "S" and the squiggle?" I throw the piece of wood towards Kai while his back is turned to me, but he stops it and places it down as he turns to face me. "And so it begins." Kai vamp speeds towards me, but I make a shield of magic that pushes him back on the ground. " _Icaeus._ " A crate heads for Kai, but he raises his hand and uses magic to shatter it to pieces. "Nice try." He says as he stands. I run to him, jump, then punch him square in the face. Then I leg swipe him and he falls to the ground, when I stand over him I realize that was too easy. "You could have blocked that." I say.

"Yeah, you're right. I-I just wanted you to think you were doing a good job." Kai chuckles.

"You're not trying to beat me." I realize.

"Oh, no, no. Not for a few more minutes. Because right now, Alyssa Chang is performing a spell that will sever my connection to the prison world, and since that place was created for me, once she's done..."

"The world will disappear, along with everyone inside of it."

"Oops." I extend my hand and push Kai back into one of the beams, then wrap a chain around him.

"Thanks so much for the villain monologue, I'll deal with you later." I turn to walk away, but Kai speaks up, stopping me in my track.

"Hey, before you go rushing off, there's something you should probably know. I compelled what's-his name, who's with, uh, you know, your boyfriend, curly hair? Lando, there it is. That's thanks to you. As we sit here chatting, they're headed east, away from the school, into the woods, walking into the path of a golden arrow. I guess we'll find out if that prophecy's really true, and the best part, you'll never make it to both places in time, you won't be able to save them all. So, you, uh have a little choice to make, who's it gonna be?" I walk closer to him until I'm face to face with him.

"You know what, on second thought, I think I'll let the Saltzman's deal with you when they get back."

"Wow, seriously? You're picking them over your boyfriend? That's-that's kinda harsh. Besides they won't remember me, I jumped into the Malivore pit to escape the prison world." Kai says proudly.

"I know, Josie told me." Kai looks at me confused. "Yeah, she remembers you, they all do. You're not the first to jump into the pit. Josie brought back everyone's memories of you, and she found a way out of the prison world without having to dive into Malivore."

"What about your boyfriend? Don't you think you'll regret choosing them over him?"

"No, I'm sure he'll be fine. Besides, he's not my boyfriend, so no regrets." Kai stair at me for a moment before letting out a gasp. 

"You're dating one of the twins! Which one is it? Josie? Lizzie? Both?" Kai wiggles his eyebrows and I look at him with disgust.

"Enjoy what little time you have let, because when the Saltzman's get out, you'll cease to exist." I say to him as I turn around and walk out of the storage facility.

**JOSIE POV**

Once I had gone over the spell, we gathered everything we would need to get out of the prison world. We went out into the woods, once we were deep enough inside I stopped and turned to look at everyone. "We need to work together. Place the spires in a circle to create a boundary spell. As I begin to siphon, doors will open beneath them, each door can only transport one person. Once I begin the spell I can't stop until it's done. So, when you see the door, you have to go." I explain, once I do I sit on the ground with the book in front of me, as everyone else forms a circle around me. I take a knife out and cut my hand open, I let the blood drip over the book, then I place my hands on the ground and begin to siphon. The ground below me and the spires begin to glow, the doors outside the prison world begin to open. I hear Lizzie in the background begging our father to come with us, apologizing. He tells her he's going to be fine, that she has to go in case Hope is unable to stop Kai, and that he knows we'll find another way to get him out. Only we won't, once the spell is complete, this world will become unstable and basically be destroyed, I probably should have mentioned that before, oh well too late now.

**HOPE POV**

Once I leave Kai I run back to the school. When the school finally comes into view I see flashing lights inside, Alyssa must have already started the spell. I run inside the school and find her. "Don't." Just as I run up to her I get pushed back by a barrier spell. "You really are a basic witch." Alyssa says as she holds a knife over the ascendant. "Alyssa please." I beg her. "I don't want them back, not now not ever." She states firmly. "If you finish that spell, you'll kill them all." I say to her and she wavers. "He didn't say anything about that." Alyssa contemplates what I just told her. "Well think about, if you sever the connection, the prison world collapses everyone in it will die. Look, I know that you're angry, and I know that you want to hurt them, but you're not a murder. Trust me, you don't want to be responsible for someone's death. It stays with you, you carry it forever." I tell her. "I know." Alyssa puts the knife down, and we hear a clicking sound come from the ascendant. "That isn't me." Alyssa says as she stands.

The clicking continues for a minute before the ascendant unlocks and a flash of light appears, revealing a girl I briefly noticed during my trip to the prison world. She's on the floor looking at her surroundings, then she spots me. "Holy crap, it worked." Josie must be doing the spell now to get everyone out of the prison world. There is another flash of light, and a blonde girl appears, but it's not Lizzie. Come on Josie, where are you?

**JOSIE POV**

Lizzie had finally jumped through the door, the only one left besides me was Diego, but I guess he couldn't let go of his grudge because shortly after Lizzie went through the door, Diego tackled my father. He was about to kill him when Sebastian vamp sped behind him and broke his neck. He and my father talked about second chances and Lizzie, then Sebastian pushed him to the door, he came up to me and kneeled beside me. "So, how exactly do we do this?" He asks. "You touch me and become the anchor." I reply. "Ok, um, can you tell your sister something a better man would say?" I nod my head yes. He places his hand on my back, there's a flash of light. Sebastian lets out a grunt followed by a scream, when the light disappears I find myself on the floor of the Salvatore school. "Josie?" I hear Hope call out to me. I stand up and slowly turn towards Hope's voice. "You're back." Hope rushes towards me and holds me tight, then she pulls away slightly and crashes our lips together, after a minute she pulls away and leans her forehead against mine. "You're back." She repeats. Lizzie and my dad approach us and hug us both. Hope pulls away from me.

"Landon's in trouble." I nod my head in acknowledgement and we both run outside.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Don't be mad, your uncle made me choose between saving you, or saving Landon. Apparently he compelled Dorian to lead him to get shot by a golden arrow, which may or may not be able to kill him permanently. As you can see I chose you." Hope and I look at each other. 

"I'm sure he'll be fine, if he's with Dorian he'll do whatever it takes to make sure Landon doesn't get hurt." Hope nods in agreement. We look out into the woods for any sign of Landon, but see none. Sudden I hear a flapping noise, when I look up I see Landon with fire wings flying towards us with Dorian in his arms. "Uh, Hope, since when can Landon fly?"

"What?" I point towards the sky, she looks up and sees Landon too. "Whoa." Landon lands in front of us and places an injured Dorian on the ground. My dad comes out of the school and as soon as he sees Dorian he rushes towards him.

"Dorian, hey, it's gonna be ok buddy. Just hang in there, hang in there." My dad says to Dorian. When Landon's fire wings disappear he approaches me and hugs me.

"It's so good to have you back." He says.

"It's good to be back. Looks like I got here in time to see you fly."

"Yeah, that just literally happened." Landon and I pull away from each other.

"Well, I'm sure with a little bit of practice it'll happen more often." Landon smiles at that, and I turn to Hope. "Where's my uncle?" I ask Hope.

"I left him at the storage facility."

"Hey, Josie can you get the prison world kids to the old mill and put a barrier around it, just until I figure out what to do with them." My dad asks as he carries Dorian in his arms.

"Can Hope do it, I'm pretty spent from the spell I just did."

"Ah, yes, of course sorry." My dad turns to Hope. "Hope can you..."

"Yeah." Hope turns to me. "Meet you back in your room?"

"Yeah." Hope kisses me and goes inside to get Jade and the others, I follow behind her and go straight to Lizzie, she's holding to the ascendant. I place my hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Josie, will you help me with something?"

"Anything."

"Help me astral project myself to the prison world to talk with Sebastian."

"Sure, but not here, let's go to our room." I tell Lizzie. We head straight to our room and close the door. "You have to be quick, the spell I did to get us out is making the prison world unstable, so say what you have to say to him and get out." Lizzie nods her head in acknowledgment. We sit on the floor and hold hands with the ascendant in the middle of us, Lizzie channels from me and astral projects herself to the prison world, she's there for a couple of minutes before she's back. We look down at the ascendant, we hear a rapid clicking sound before a piece of it opens up and a small puff of smokes appears, neither of us say anything, but we know that means the prison world is completely destroyed. I look up at my sister, she has a heartbroken expression on her face, I grab hold of both of her hands. "Hey." Lizzie looks up at me. "I don't know much about Sebastian, or your relationship with him, what I do know is he saved dad and he cared deeply for you." Lizzie gives me a small smile.

"Thanks." Lizzie picks up the ascendant and places it on the bed, she's about to lay down when I stop her.

"Before you do that, there's something we need to take care of, it might even make you feel better, if only for a little while."

"What?" I quickly explain everything to her and she agrees. We leave our room, pick up some supplies, and go to the storage facility where Hope placed Kai. When we arrive he's trying to break free from his chains, until he look up and spots us.

"Hey, you managed to survive that wave of black magic, and you got out of the prison world. I'd uh clap for you, but I'm chained up." Kai looks over at Lizzie. "You must be Lizzie, I'm your dear uncle Kai." 

"This is our sociopathic uncle?" Lizzie questions.

"Yep." I answer

"He looks more like a man child, with a beard." Kai laughs at that.

"Oh, Lizzie, you're so funny. You get that from me you know." Lizzie furrows her brows at that. "Now, would you two be so kind as to break my chains?" Kai asks. 

"After everything you've done, I don't think so crazy." Lizzie says.

"Are you mad about your mother too, I already explained to Josie, I was trying to kill the two of you." Lizzie quirks her eyebrow at that. "Right, probably not helping my situation. Alright, how about I make you a deal. You let me go, and I'll tell you everything you need to know about the merge." Lizzie scoffs at that.

"Yeah right, you'll probably just tell us a twisted version of the truth. We're here for one reason and one reason only." Lizzie takes hold of my hand.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Kai asks. A knife appears above us and Kai scoff as that. "What? You plan on killing me with a knife? You two are going to have to do better than that." We use magic to stab Kai with the knife, he yells out in pain, and there is a faint sound of burning flesh.

"That's why we soaked it in vervain." I say to him. We stab him again and again four more times, after the fourth time he starts to laugh.

"This-this is pure poetry. This is how I killed your mom." Kai continues to laugh, Lizzie and I look at each other and back at Kai. We remove the knife from his stomach and cut his head off with it.

"You think dad will be mad at us?" Lizzie asks.

"I think he'll be more mad that we took his chance to kill Kai." I tell her.

"Oh well he had his chance. Let's go, I'm sure Hope is done with the barrier spell by now." We link our arms together and head back to our room, just as we arrive at our door, so does Hope.

"Hey, are you guys just getting here?" Hope asks.

"Yeah." Lizzie and I answer at the same time. Then Lizzie unlinks her arm from mine and pushes me slightly towards Hope, I look at her confused.

"You know you wanna spend some alone time with her, and I know she wants to spend alone time with you. Go, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" I ask Lizzie.

"Yeah, I'll be alright. I promise." I hug Lizzie and take Hope's hand.

**HOPE POV**

Josie and I left Lizzie and walked hand in hand towards my room. When we finally make it inside I push Josie against the door and kiss her fiercely, when I find myself needing to catch my break I remember what Jade told me about Lizzie. "Hey, before I forget, Jade told me to tell you that Lizzie should take it easy for the next day or two, and she shouldn't do any heavy lifting." I say out of breath. "That shouldn't be too hard, I mean it is Lizzie we're talking about." Josie and I laugh at that, and we kiss again. I lift her up and she wraps her legs around my waist, I lead her towards my bed and gently place her on top without breaking our kiss. When breathing becomes a necessity again I take this time to look down at Josie, she looks up at me curiously. 

"What?" She asks.

"I'm just glad to have you back, and not just physically." I answer.

"What do you mean?"

"When I astral projected myself into the prison world and saw you...it was like you were a vampire with your humanity switch turned off. You didn't look at me the way you're looking at me now." Josie places a hand on my cheek.

"I'm sorry." Josie apologizes.

"No more black magic Josie, ever. I don't want that to ever happen to you again."

"I promise Hope, no more black magic." Josie kisses me, and with a wave of my hand I flip the lights off. We spend half the night making love to each other, afterwards Josie fell asleep in my arms with her head resting on my chest. I breathed her in, nothing made me happier than having my epic love asleep in my arms.

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed my rewrite of season 2, as I said in the beginning of the notes, this is the last chapter; however, this is not my last fanfic. I do plan on uploading more, so be on the look out. Thank you for reading my fic, and feel free to leave comments and kudos.

**Author's Note:**

> So, as I said before, Hope and Landon never got together, Hope and Josie did, so there have been slight changes. Changes aside everything else remained the same. What do you thing of the story so far, should I continue?


End file.
